The One To Whom I Owe My Soul
by AshedPhoenixFeathers
Summary: A very ancient, very old curse is cast. One meant only for children of Poseidon/Neptune. Percy finds himself struggling for survival, as Annabeth embarks on a quest to find a cure to fight this curse before Percy is gone...this time, for good. But time is running out. The countdown for survival has begun.
1. Prologue

_Empire State Building/Olympus_

 _December 21st_

 _Winter Solstice Meeting_

For being all-powerful gods over humanity, their meetings sure were boring.

Poseidon was slumped on his throne scowling at the unblemished marble floor with his head supported on his hand, while the other absentmindedly twirled the shaft of his trident in his palm. He watched bored as his young brother, Zeus, "King of the Gods" (hardy-har-har struggled to get control of the meeting, only snorting in amusement when Zeus's demands were ignored. Classic meeting shenanigans.

But Poseidon quickly lost interest in watching Zeu's about to blow a vein and shifted his attention on the rest of his fellow immortals. Athena had long since stopped arguing with him about Athens (something they did every meeting - but having the same arguing over and over for centuries upon centuries was beginning to lose its fun) and was now talking to Artemis about the uselessness of a water fountain. Pfft! Whatever, that fountain was the coolest thing those " _Athenians_ " were ever going to see. Ares and Hephaestus were arguing over Aphrodite, who was dabbing her lips with some lipstick, coyly smirking as she eavesdropped on their arguments - as per normal. Demeter and Hades were in a heated discussion about whether or not Persephone should get more vacation time up on the surface with her mother. Hermes was on his phone taking messages and calls, occasionally muttering something about sales and refunds. Apollo was coming up with horrible Haiku on the beauty of sports car. Hera, who managed to get Zeus's attention, was talking about their family issues. And, finally, there was Hestia, who was sitting by the hearth with a peaceful smile on her face as she silently stoked the flames.

Yep, just a regular ol' solstice meeting.

He was honestly surprised with how easily everything flowed back to normal after the Giant War. The Giants were defeated, Grandma - er, Gaia - was back in her earthly coma, and the two half-blood camps were getting along really well. Poseidon felt a painful jolt in his mind just thinking about the Romans, feeling the Neptune side to him want to come out and go destroy a couple fleets of cargo ships. Which was an odd feeling in itself. No cargo-ships had offended him or anything, and he wasn't sure why a part of him wanted to simply upturn them in the middle of the ocean. Sure it was kind of fun to watch the mortals flail in the water, but it still gave him one heck of a mess to clean up afterward.

He let his thoughts shift to something more pleasant. A certain son of his who was over in California, studying up in anything ocean related. Percy was a little to close to the Roman camp for his Greek persona's liking, but everything seemed okay. Not that he was watching Percy or anything. There were rules. Rules that he had to follow. He wasn't watching his only half-blood child, the kid of the most amazing and beautiful mortal he's ever met, to make sure everything was okay...that'd just be crazy...Percy can take care of himself...

Out of nowhere, an odd feeling suddenly overcame Poseidon. It was a weird sensation, sudden and intense, and so itchy and uncomfortable that it bordered on downright painful. Sure he's always been able to feel if something was wrong in the ocean - it came with the job. He could sense things like ships on the waves, pollution in the water, and the odd sea monster or two in the depths - but that was all normal. This feeling...this feeling wasn't natural. The itchy, prickly feeling fell away and was instantly replaced by something cold and sinister. And, if he was being honest, kind of familiar.

He didn't need to feel itchy in weird places to know something was seriously wrong.

"Poseidon?"

He shivered, despite the warm feel of Hestia's fire. Something sparked inside him, a feeling that he felt only when a battle was going horribly wrong. Was that, panic? Ugh, he hated that feeling. But it was undeniable. He wondered why he was freaking out. He wasn't supposed to randomly freak out, he was a god for crying out loud. But it was there, and his panic of not knowing why he was panicking left him feeling even MORE panicked felt panicked because he had no idea why his sensation was so familiar?!

"Poseidon?!...Poseidon!?" His head snapped up when realizing someone was yelling at him.

He looked up, noticing for the first time that all the gods and goddesses in the room were looking at him. Some seemed worried - Hestia - and others annoyed - everyone else.

"Are you alright hon?" Aphrodite asked, she wasn't looking at him though, but gazing into her mirror as she added more mascara to her lashes. Poseidon realized that he had gone as tight as a snagged line and was gripping the arms of his throne so intensely that cracks were starting to appear. His face was probably pale too.

He shook his head, "S-something's wrong..." he muttered, hating the shake in his voice. This got more of their attention. He added, "In the ocean, I mean." and put his head in his hands, thinking of anything big that could've happened while he was away.

"Are you sure?" Apollo asked where he was lying casually across his throne, strumming a few strings on his guitar. "Maybe you're just sick or something. I can give you a check if you like,"

The last time he got a checkup with Apollo it ended with him badly sunburned for weeks and Apollo so water-logged he wouldn't go near any water for a decade. It wasn't exactly the best experience.

Athena rolled her eyes, "He's a god remember." she said, "He can't get ill so easily. Besides, he was doing fine just minutes ago,"

Poseidon ignored her as something clicked in his brain. _Sick? ill?_ Everything came flooding back to him. His eyes widened in horror. He didn't even notice when all the water in the room started rippling and swirling with his agitation. Bessie, the Ophiotaurus, mooed nervously in his water sphere, swimming jerkily around in the water while tossing his head side to side as if sensing the sea lords mood. Poseidon knew why the feeling was familiar, and he knew why he suddenly felt so terrified.

"No," he whispered, "No, no, no, no, no," and without warning, he flashed away. Instantly, he reappeared in his underwater Kingdom. The merpeople skittered away at his sudden entrance, but smiled and swam closer once realizing who it was. Though, Poseidon could see that some of them seemed to notice the feeling of danger in the water. Dolphins moved skittishly, as if unsure of what was bothering them. Fish flocked closer together and sharks jerked through the water looking for danger. Even the merpeople eyed the shadows of the water, unconsciously moving closer together.

But Poseidon ignored them and their relieved greetings. "Amphrite!" he yelled. "Triton!" They weren't there. He hurried into his throne room, worry twisting in his gut, but no one was there either. He checked his and Amphrites' chambers, but it was empty. The same with Triton's room.

The sea life picked up on his distress. Several merpeople and creatures crowded around him. _My Lord, they spoke, Is there anything we can do to assist you?_

"Yes, find Amphrite and Triton," he ordered, mind too far gone to be polite. "Hurry!" they nodded and swam off, passing the word off to any other breathing creature that swam by. As did that, Poseidon searched the castle again. It was while rummaging through the kitchen when he almost gave up hope that they were nearby, until...Right there. He heard singing coming from the royal families personal garden.

"Amphrite?" Poseidon yelled, bursting out of the door. He breathed in relief when he saw Amphrite walking peacefully through the garden, hair moving elegantly around her as she sang an old sea lullaby, bent over and working on a few coral plants and sea flowers. "Amphrite." it was a sigh of relief this time. She glanced up at hearing her name and smiled.

"Poseidon," she greeted warmly, "Did the meeting end so soon?" Poseidon hurried over to her and swept her into his arms, feeling nothing but pure solace as he hugged her tight. Amphrite, on the other hand, gave a surprised yelp from the sudden embrace. After a second, she pulled away to look into his eyes, "Pardon my surprise but is something wrong?"

Poseidon had a moment to wonder why she thought him hugging were was so surprising before his thoughts returned to his original worry. "You must help me find Triton!" he said. His expression was straight and serious, but his anxious tone is what had Amphrite shiting into attentiveness as she nodded without question.

She said "I'll look in the Training Arena." and swam off as he searched the kingdom grounds. Finally, after what seemed like forever, a whale shark swam up to the sea god.

 _We found him, your Majesty. We found Triton. He was out hunting a sea serpent in the trenches. The merpeople are taking him to his room as we speak._

"Is he alright?" Poseidon asked.

The whale shark was quiet for a few moment, then said ' _I'm afraid he doesn't look too good your Majesty_ , then beckoned for him to follow. Poseidon swam after the shark, letting it lead him back to the palace and to Tritons room, where a large crowd of merpeople and sea creatures alike huddled around the hall and doorway. They immediately parted for him, allowing him clear access into the room. Inside, Amphrite was sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked at him over her shoulder, eyes glowing with maternal fury.

"Poseidon what's wrong with him?" she demanded, voice shaking with worry. He didn't say anything at first but walked forward till he stood at the end of the bed, before moving around it to the opposite side of his wife. Triton's eyes were closed with his face pinched in a grimace, completely unaware of the crowds watching curiously from the hall. In the light of the glowing luminescent plants, his skin was pale. His veins could be seen under his skin, popping out and spread like a spider-web against the white. Poseidon watched as the skin seemed to crack and shrivel on his body as if it couldn't get enough water to properly sustain itself. He knelt by his immortal son and gingerly stroked the boy's forehead with his fingers. The gills on his neck opened and closed frantically as his chest stuttered for breath.

"I am so sorry," he whispered, to both Amphrite and Triton, the latter who didn't seem to even hear him. "I'll fix this, I promise."

Amphrites eyes were glued to his face. "Fix. What?" she demanded. He didn't blame her for being angry. She didn't know what was happening to her child. "What's going on?"

Poseidon almost couldn't even look at her, but he forced his eyes to meet her own. "A curse. He's caught the curse," he said. "I-I thought it was gone. It was..." he grimaced, shaking his head, looking back down at his dying son. "I thought it was gone, and now...None of my children are safe anymore."

He watched as blood began to trickle slowly from the corner of Triton's mouth.

 **I Do Not Own The Percy Jackson Series Or It's Characters. Only The Plot. Consider This Story Disclaimed.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Percy (POV)**

Percy was enjoying a nice date with his girlfriend when he got the news.

They were in a small diner not too far from the college campus. It was one of those rare, beautiful places that gave amazing food at an even better price. Which was very nice to their pockets, seeing how they weren't exactly millionaire demigods and ended up as broke as any other student living off Ramen Noodles and Mac & Cheese. They found an empty booth near the back that gave an open view of the place with every exit and window in sight.

Just because they haven't been attacked in a while, didn't mean they forgot any of their training. Come on, they were professionals at this point.

"Okay Seaweed brain, what do you want for lunch?" Annabeth asked as she picked one of the menu's placed in the center of the table. She scanned over her menu, eyes squinting as she tried to make out the letters. Despite them both having dyslexia, Annabeth was way better at deciphering non-greek words than Percy was. It just made him all the more grateful to have her as a girlfriend, because if he was certain that if not for her he'd have died of hunger by now.

"The blueberry and whipped cream shake for me," Percy said. Annabeth hummed, already knowing that would be his first response as she continued scrutinizing the listed food. Percy couldn't help but notice how her blonde hair kept falling over her shoulder and into her face, distracting her in a way that made her crinkle her nose in annoyance.

Adorable.

After a moment of battling her hair, she looked up from the menu. "Are we getting our regular, or do we want to try something new for a change?"

Percy's pursed his lips in thought as he stroked his chin. After a second he shook his head, "Psh, who's ever heard of trying things new. I'll take our regular."

"A cheeseburger does sound good." Annabeth agreed, eyeing the menu. Then she shrugged and put it back. "Regular's it is," They waited patiently for a waiter to notice their need of assistance, and killed the time by building a fort out of the stack of menus still on the table. A few failed structures later, Annabeth's tongue barely stuck out of the corner of her lips as she gently placed the thick paper on two supporting salt shakers. Percy held his breath, not wanting to disturb the menu support-beams near the napkin wall. Annabeth didn't usually mess with things or go out of turn when out in public, especially so she wouldn't draw attention to herself (instincts she's learned and honed ever since being hunted by monsters from age 7), but Percy was happy whenever he could draw this part out of her. It made him will special when he got Annabeth to act out (if this could even be considered "acting out")

Either way, it was so much more fun getting in trouble with a smart person than by yourself.

He didn't realize he was looking at her till her eyes met his, and she asked the obvious question between them, "What are you looking at?"

"You," he replied. A year ago he might've blushed when admitting it. But after everything they've been through, he knew he could speak his mind with her. Annabeth, Hades help her, was probably used to it by now anyway.

She gave him a soft smile, the kind that maybe melted his heart a little bit, and placed her hand on his. "Ever the romantic, aren't you Jackson," she hummed. Percy snorted. He definitely couldn't say he was the most romantic guy - but at least he tried. Although, if he were being honest, Annabeth wasn't as into the mushy-gushy romance as he was. But, hey, that way if he messed up she wasn't usually upset. Of course, that didn't stop him from trying. He'd woo the Chase off of her if he had too.

"Anyway," Annabeth said, snapping the silence between them. "I have some good news and some bad news."

"Oh," Percy said, kind of surprised. "Well I'm gonna say right off that if you're breaking up with me, then I reserve all rights to our comic book collection," she smirked and rolled her eyes at his antics.

"I'm not breaking up with you, you idiot!" she laughed. Then smiled at him coyly over their shared structure, "Besides, you'd be lost without me."

"Sure would." Percy agreed with no hesitation. And, yes, he did believe it. Annabeth has become somewhat of a homing beacon for him. He would never truly feel lost as long as she was there. "Who knows how many times you've saved my butt."

"Too many times to count," Annabeth answered. "But, hey, it's the same story here." they shared a smile, lapsing into a comfortable silence.

But Annabeth was quick to snap out of it as she scowled at him slightly, "Ugh! Stop distracting me Percy, I need to tell you the surprise."

Percy groaned. "Can it wait till we get food?" he whined. Annabeth pursed her lips, before rolling her eyes with a smile and a nod. It was in that moment that their waitress showed up. It was the same one from all the other times they've eaten here. A girl, about their age, with short black hair that went up with her jawline and warm brown eyes. She was nice enough, didn't even get mad at their structure of menus and napkin and always seemed to have a smile on her face. The only thing that dampened the relationship of her granting them food, was that she might've had a bit of a crush on Annabeth, and she definitely wasn't very secretive about it.

She smiled at her, a cross between flirty and casual. "May I take your order?" she asked, sparing a glance at Percy before her eyes were back to storm-gray ones.

"Uh, yeah, we'll have our regular Kirsty," Annabeth answered. She nodded and quickly jot down the order. Giving her another quick smile over the edge of her notepad, she said, "Coming right up, beautiful" then left with a hop in her step.

Percy huffed a little and picked at a stray napkin they didn't use for their fort. "Is it just me or does she take our order every time we're here?" he grumbled.

Annabeth chuckled. "Every time we've been here," he confirmed. But didn't comment more on it. They've had this conversation before. While it annoyed Percy, she knew that there was nothing to go off it. Besides, Annabeth knew how he felt. She wasn't ignorant of the winks the Starbucks guy sent to Percy every time she turned her back.

Despite knowing there wasn't more to say on it, she couldn't help but add, "Your cute when you're irritated," Percy looked back at her with a raised eyebrow. He held it for a little bit before breaking out of his annoyed state with a chuckle, remembering that time when she told him he was cute when he worried. Their eyes met and he knew she was thinking the same thing he was.

"That battle was so long ago." she sighed. "It almost seems like the good old days."

"I mean, excluding the blood-thirsty titan lord, his army of disgusting monsters, and manipulated half-bloods who wanted to kill us and all humanity to let chaos reign free, then yeah! I totally agree with you."

Annabeth laughed with him and reached over the table to punch him playfully in the shoulder. Too soon, the waitress was by the table, this time carrying a tray. She placed their orders in front of them, announcing, "And here you go," with a wink at Anneth. Percy, still smiling, simply grabbed their food and gave a quick, "Yep, thanks, Kristy," and dug in.

"Yep, thanks," Annabeth said. Then, as an after thought, added, "And thanks for coming here with me Percy, you're an awesome boyfriend," Percy looked up from the hamburger he was already devouring, and glanced between her and Kirsty. He took a moment to chew his food, before swallowing and replying, "No problem Annabeth. Thank YOU for being an awesome _girlfriend"_ that part might've been aimed at Kristy "and inviting me."

Kristy rolled her eyes. "Okay, I get it, dude. Yeesh,"

"Then why do you keep doing this?" Percy demanded.

This time Kristy gave him a mischevious smile. "Hey, one day you might make a mistake and she'll be fair game. Besides, there's always the chance she might decide she likes girls too," with that, she sent Annabeth one more wink, before whirling around and sauntered back to the kitchen.

"What mistake?" Percy grumbled. "You wouldn't even be able to handle half of what we go through you little -"

"Anyway," Annabeth interrupted, taking a sip of her shake. "About this surprise. There's both a good and bad."

Percy nodded, Kristy immediately a forgotten memory, and set down his burger as Annabeth continued, "Alright, I'll start with the good news...me and you are taking a vacation to New York! I talked to the administrative board already and they're allowing us a few weeks off to go up, you know since we're both in head of our studies,"

Percy lit up with joy, especially with that last bit. He's never been at the top of a class, ever! Whenever someone mentioned it made him feel kind of smug and like he could go run a few circles around Athena yelling ' _Ha ha!'_. " _Di Immortals_ , really? I've been wanting to visit my mom and the Camp since school started!" He couldn't wait to tell his mom about his ocean studies, and it'd be nice to see Paul again. The Camp sounded like Elysium at this point. He wondered if his cabin was the way he left it, or if the cleaning Harpies got to it.

"And now for the bad news." Annabeth continued. "We have to take a plane." Percy stopped his internal celebrating to gape at her, hamburger hovering half way to his mouth.

"What?"

"We have to take a plane." she repeated.

Slowly, Percy put the burger down. With a heavy sigh, he slumped in his seat casting an arm over his eyes. "Sorry mom, sorry camp, I'm afraid I won't make it this year," he mumbled near the crook of his elbow. "My girlfriend killed me. I know, I'm sorry, but there was nothing I could do. Maybe one day you'll find it in your heart to forgive her,"

"What are you doing?" Annabeth asked.

"Thinking about what I'm going to write on my suicide letter. A PLANE Annabeth? Why a plane?"

She picked at her fries. "Well, since we're kind of the best students they've had in a long time, they offered to buy us plane tickets there. Professor Peakley might have had something to do about that, you know how he can be," Annabeth said.

"Curse you Professor Peakley," Percy griped.

"I know, but FREE tickets to New York Percy! It was a good deal and its the fastest way to Camp AND it's during Winter Break, which gives us more time together at Camp. Besides, it would've been impolite to decline." Annabeth reasoned.

Percy snorted. "Since when do you care about being polite," but he thought over her words. "UGH! I hate it when your right." He peeked at her under his arm. She was grinning widely, excitement lighting her eyes. He decided that that kind of made it all better.

And he could tell why Kristy found her attractive. Dang, she was hot when she wins him over with reason.

"But we're going to Camp." she sang.

That put a smile on his face. He could already feel the campfire and taste the smores and a walk along the beach with Annabeth DID sound really good. "I suppose I can try to last the plane ride," he said, "but if Zeus is angry..." the sentence tapered off.

"You're so dramatic." Annabeth laughed, but he could tell she was kind of nervous too. Most people didn't try crossing Zeus, him being King of the Gods and all, but maybe with how much they've already done for Olympus, he'd give them a bit of leeway. Hopefully.

But, hey, they were demigods. Their lives were full of life-ending risks.

"So when are we leaving?" Percy asked, returning to his normal position and picking his burger back up.

"Tomorrow afternoon."

The hamburger dropped back down. "TOMORROW! WE'RE LEAVING TOMORROW AND YOU DIDN'T THINK TO TELL ME THIS SOONER!"

Annabeth shrugged. "Cause I knew that if I would have told you earlier, you would have backed out last minute," she said. "Come on," she added at the look he gave her, "you know I'm right." Which she was. Which was still kind of annoying.

Percy groaned and picked up his shake, slurping up the drink inside solemnly. "Fine, fine. Let's go to New York on a plane ride, tomorrow, that will likely end up with us killed. But first, let's finish lunch. I'd hate to die knowing I never finished these fries."

Annabeth's smile was bright and grateful. "Thanks, Percy, you don't know how much this means to me,"

But he did. And, honestly, that kind of made it all worth it.


	3. Chapter 2

**Nobodies POV**

Percy was beginning to want to bang his head into the wall.

He and Annabeth were at the airport, bags packed and ready, but their flight wasn't leaving for another hour or so. They found seats where they could wait, which was what they were currently succumbed to doing. But, it's already been 15 minutes and it seemed like time had slowed to nothing. And believe him, he knew firsthand how that felt.

"Annabeth!" Percy grumbled, "I don't know what do to?" Annabeth looked up from the book she was reading. It was an architect book written in Ancient Greek. Percy couldn't understand how she found pleasure in reading, but she did, and that was kind of amazing. He knew he'd never have the ability to sit down and actually READ something.

"Read a book," she suggested and pat the bag of books at her feet. "I brought plenty for the plane ride there." Percy withheld a shutter. She might as well told him to run off a cliff, or run himself through with his own sword.

"Me? Read?" he deadpanned. "I'm sorry Annabeth, but we both know how that would turn out,"

"And what's that?" she laughed. "Exploding toilets? Blown up fountains?"

"I was thinking more like going insane or willingly throwing myself in front of a runaway truck,"

She shrugged this time. "Well, then I guess you're going to have to find a different way to entertain yourself." she then returned to reading, obviously ignoring him this time. Percy folded his arms and looked over the airport. There were people were bustling about, staying in lines, or sitting in the hard waiting chairs, like him. The room was a buzz with murmuring crowds, steps on the hard floor, beeps, and hums of machines, and the sound of the lady over the speaker announcing all the flights underway. Percy groaned, hanging his head over the edge of the chair. Where was a monster when you needed one?

His stomach grumbled. He looked up, thinking, _What a great idea._

"Annabeth I'm going to get a snack," he said. Annabeth looked up from her book, eyebrows raised.

"You do realize that you already packed several hours worth of snacks, right?" she reminded bluntly.

Percy waved her comment off. "Oh C'mon, I'm hungry and I need to go do something," his foot tapped in agreement and his stomach growled as if to prove his point. He looked at her pointedly.

She sighed, "Okay, I'll be here when you get back," But he stayed put. She looked at him through the corner of her eyes with lips pursed in question. "Well go a head, I'm not your mom,"

"Well, yeah, but I gave you the change from breakfast this morning,"

"I swear it's like dating a child," Annabeth muttered but reached into her jeans pockets to retrieve a couple dollars and some coins. Percy smirked and gave a small peck on the cheek, and hurried off. He was sure he saw a vending machine somewhere in here. He scoured the long halls and corridors, occasionally stopping to try and decipher some signs. Then, finally, after several wrong turns and some backtracking, he spotted the vending machine of choice. He grinned in a way that he hoped wasn't a creepy.

"Gotcha,"

The walk there was short and soon enough he stood in front of it, scanning its contents for anything good. His eyes narrowed as spotted a pack of chewy Chips Ahoy cookies. That's the one. He slipped the $5 in the slot and pushed the code for the cookies, then waited anxiously. Only for the stupid machine spit it back out. Percy scowled and entered the money in again, and punched in the code once more. But the same thing happened. Sighing in exasperation, he smoothed the bill out on his knees and this time, with the gentlest of hands, put it into the slot.

It was spat out.

Percy grabbed the bill angrily and stuffed it in the slot. GAH! Monsters weren't even this infuriating! At least he could just slash them and they'd explode into dust. If he did that with the machine, the only thing he'd get was an arrest for destroying government property. He glared at the machine. Maybe Hephaestus was pulling a prank on him. Not that the god of machines and such would be interested in pranking _him,_ of all people. But certainly, there was a reason behind such an aggravating machine. Maybe because it was mortal made. BUt, then again, he couldn't blame everything on the fact that it was made my mortals. He WAS half mortal. That'd be like critisizing himself.

Ah, but there had to be a way to get it to work. He didn't walk all this way for nothing. Besides, his ADHD brain would appreciate the challenge. He circled the machine, pushing its buttons and checking the back for anything out of the ordinary. He examined the machine, stroking his chin in thought.

Annnnd...he still had no idea what was wrong.

Someone called his name, "Percy?" He whirled around, spotting Annabeth coming toward him, towing their luggage behind her.

He winced and ran over to help her with the bags. "Hey, I'm glad your here," he said, as soon as the luggage was evenly distributed. "Cause I'm 97.4% sure this machine is either cursed or is an automaton of Daedalus."

Annabeth looked at him in silence for a few minute, Then, "Are you kidding me?" she looked irritated.

"Uh...yes? Totally, kidding..."

"Percy, I swear!" she grabbed the five dollar bill and inserted it in the slot. The code was entered and a couple seconds later a bag of cookies popped out. How did she even know he wanted that kind?

"H-how..." he gasped. "I swear it wasn't working, like, a minute ago,"

Annabeth grabbed his wrist. Come on, our plane is boarding,"

"Really? So soon?"

* * *

Sometime later, they were buckled in their seats, side by side on the plane. Throughout the whole process, Annabeth braved through the vice-like grip on her hand and whispered soothing words to her nervous boyfriend all the way into the plane. Now, here he sat, clutching the arms of the seat, knuckles white, and eyes wide.

" _Di Immortals, di Immortals, di Immortals._.." he chanted under his breath, chest heaving, even though the plane hadn't even taken off yet. Annabeth put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He winced under it.

"We'll be fine Percy," she soothed. "I already prayed to Zeus for a safe passage AND sacrificed him some chicken."

"Did you pray to Hades?" Percy asked.

"Umm...no."

"That's okay, I already asked him to spare both of us."

Annabeth rolled her eyes but smiled at him sympathetically. It was going to be a long ride. The plane roared to life under their feet as the Captain's voice came over the intercom. As the plane began to move, Percy clutched his seat tighter, if that were possible, and muttered frantically in Greek under his breath, probably another prayer.

But, in no time they were up in the sky, flying. Percy didn't dare look outside the window, or up, or down, or even at the flight attendant who was selling peanuts. His eyes remained fixated on the upholstery of the seat in front of him. It was around the 15th turbulence bounce did he begin sweating, and actually start praying for Zeus to calm the schist down.

Annabeth let him hold her hand, not complaining if it got tight, and offered him some of the M&M's she bought. At times, she had to whisper to him, calmly, in Greek, just to get him to settle down. Eventually, though, he fell into an uneasy sleep, using her shoulder as a makeshift pillow. Not that she minded. She calmly read her book and occasionally repositioned his head if it seemed uncomfortable.

Many, many hours later, New York came in view. But Percy didn't get his hopes up just yet. " _We're getting slight turbulence,_ " the Captain voice came over the intercom. " _Stay seated until the plane has touched down and come to a complete stop. If there is any question, ask our flight attendants. They will be happy to help,_ "

"Make it stop." Percy moaned. "Just let it be over."

"We're almost there." Annabeth said.

"You're right," he nodded. "Of course you're right. You're always right. Your Annabeth freaking Chase. I know you're right. Why wouldn't you be. " he took a stuttering breath as the plane bounced. Annabeth squeezed his hand. He peeked at her through squinted eyes but gave her a wry smile.

"We're almost home."

* * *

Percy had the sudden desire to kiss the ground as soon as they landed. But he figured that would, technically, be kissing Gaia and decided against it. He's had enough of the pyscho primordial goddess to last a lifetime.

"See, that wasn't so bad." Annabeth said as they made their way out of the airport.

"Oh, easy for you to say." Percy mumbled, shoulder one of their bags. "You don't have a crazy, lightning throwing god out for your blood every time you fly," he still sounded shaken up.

"True. But I DO have a crazy, cow-loving goddess out for me who happens to be married to the lightning throwing god."

"Man, aren't we _sooo_ lucky,"

"The Luckiest,"

Once outside, they hailed a taxi. Clouds covered the skyscrapers of New York as delicate snowflakes spiraled down gracefully and turned into gray sludge as soon as it touched the ground. Percy and Annabeth equipped themselves in heavy winter coats and gloves before stepping out. California did little to prepare them for the return of nippy wind and icy snow.

"Where too?" Annabeth asked as they put their luggage in the taxi trunk. "Camp or your moms?"

"Mom," Percy answered. "I think she'd like it if he visited her right away,"

Annabeth smirked. "Or because you miss you mommy."

"And because I miss my mommy."

Inside the taxi, shielded from the winter chill only slightly, Percy gave the cab driver the directions and then relaxed on the seat with Annabeth as they merged in with the traffic.

"Annabeth?" Percy asked.

"Hmm?"

"Let's never go on a plane again."

"Sure Percy,"


	4. Chapter 3

**Percy POV**

The taxi pulled up to the Blofis household.

Percy grabbed the luggage from the trunk as Annabeth paid the driver up front. Within a few minutes, the taxi sped off, leaving the two of them alone on the cold street. Percy looked up at the house with a giant smile.

"Mom's going to be so surprised." he mused in delight.

Annabeth nodded. "Well, let's not keep her waiting then." she grabbed her bag, and Percy his, and together they walked up to the door; Percy putting his luggage down for a moment to ring the doorbell. A few seconds passed before sounds could be heard from inside the house. Someone stumbled, cursed, then shouted "Coming." and Percy had no doubt it was Paul.

He was correct as said man opened the door with a warm smile. "Yes?" His eyes instantly widened when he saw Percy and Annabeth standing there and the smile broadened, "Percy!" he turned to Annabeth. "Annabeth! Oh, my go- How are you? We didn't know you two were in town."

"We wanted it to be a surprise," Percy grinned, eyes bright with humor. "Surprise!"

Paul rolled his eyes but his smile never fell. "Well come in then! It's cold out here," he opened the door wider and stepped to the side to make room. "Sally is in the kitchen making some lunch." Percy and Annabeth quietly shuffled in the house where the heavenly smell of cookies greeted them with a warm hug. As Annabeth took her coat off to hang on the coat rack - as polite guests did - Percy dumped his own on the floor and silently stalked toward the kitchen. He peeked inside, watching a middle-aged woman as she made sandwiches on the counter with a sheet of freshly baked cookies behind her and a half-completed pitcher lemonade to the side.

Grin widening, Percy crept forward till he was close enough to take a cookie off the tray. Instantly though, he winced and dropped it on the counter when the heat bit at his fingers. Sally tensed where she stood.

"Hey," she growled, "What did I say about getting into the cookies? I swear, your just as bad as Percy when he was-" she turned and the sentence instantly dropped. The butterknife in her hand slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor as she blinked in surprise.

Percy gave a short wave. "Hi mom," he said. "What was that about being as bad as Percy?"

"Percy!" she shouted, surging forward and wrapping him into a giant hug with a hearty laugh. "My goodness, why didn't you tell me you were coming!" she pushed herself away, hands still on Percy's shoulder as she looked him over, the way she used to when he was a little boy. "Oh, you've grown so much since you were last here. Where's Annabe-"

"Hi Sally," Annabeth unwittingly interrupted as stepping into the kitchen. "It smells amazing in here."

"Oh, Annabeth!" Sally swept her into a hug too. Once she let go, she looked at them with bright eyes. "Why didn't you guys send an Iris Message?" she demanded, wiping her hands on a drying towel. "I would've dyed in the cookies blue."

Percy picked his targeted cookie back up with an unimpressed purse of his lips. "They're fine, I suppose," he said. Annabeth rolled her eyes and smacked him on the shoulder. Percy grinned and bit into the cookie.

"Would it be alright if we had lunch with you and Paul?" Annabeth asked.

"Of course," Sally beamed. "Paul," she gestured to him, who was leaning against the doorway of the kitchen watching the reunion in pleasant silence. "finish up this lemonade, would you? Percy, take cookies into the living - and don't you dare pick in them. Annabeth, would you help me make some more sandwiches?"

"Sure." Annabeth grabbed a piece of bread and began arranging meat and cheese on it. Paul returned to his task of making lemonade, making quick time of it to walk with Percy into the living room where a game of football had been left running on the TV.

"Who's playing?" Percy asked as he set the plate of cookies down.

Paul glanced up, squinting at the screen. "Oh, uh, the Giants and the Titans I think."

Percy wrinkled his nose in disgust. "The Giant and the Titans? Jeez, where does a guy have to go to get away from all of that?"

Paul blinked before it clicked and he laughed. "It is quite ironic, isn't it."

"You mortals are weird."

"Hardy har," Paul said, flicking him in the head. "FYI, you're mom is mortal which makes YOU half mortal."

Percy rubbed the assaulted spot on his head, "Alright, touche."

Back in the kitchen, Annabeth was finishing up the sandwiches when Sally turned toward her with a look of interrogation on her face. "So Annabeth," she started out slowly. "how have you and Percy been doing?"

Annabeth eyes narrowed at the suggestive tone, but she shrugged innocently and said "Just fine." as she placed the sandwiches on a plate.

Sally wiped her hands on a towel again as a smirk directed itself at Annabeth? "Just fine?" she questioned.

"Yeah, what else would we be?"

Sally shrugged her shoulders not so subtly. "Oh, I don't know. Is there anything you guys want to tell us?"

Annabeth upon realizing where this was going found a sudden interest of the crumbs on the counter as a blush painted her face. "C'mon Sally, nothing like that is going on," she said. "Percy and I are taking it slow now that we have time too - you know, with our lives not in constant peril."

Sally, with no argument to that, sighed in defeat. "Oh, fine." but a smile still crept on her face as she added, "but I do want grandchildren before I get too old and wrinkly."

Annabeths blush intensified in color as she sputtered, "S-Sally! We're still kids - young adults - and the thought of having children..." she trailed off uncomfortably. "I-I don't know-it...it sounds weird."

"There's nothing weird about it," Sally assured. Two hands were placed on Annabeth's shoulders. "But I understand, I won't push you two...for now."

Annabeth sighed in relief at the humor in Sally's eyes. "Thanks."

Together, they carried the sandwiches into the living room, where Percy and Paul seemed to be engaged in a heated argument.

"The Titans are gonna win!" Paul was saying.

"Puh-lease," Percy snorted, "have you seen the size of Giants? They're huge! Besides the Giants are stronger and more powerful than the Titans."

"But the Titans are a better team," Paul remarked.

Percy scoffed. "Please, they fight with each other more than they do their enemies!"

"E-enemies?" Paul sputtered with a frown, "Come on, that's kind of intense."

"Yeah, well, they're intense."

"No, they are not! It's just a game. Sure the teams can be a bit competitive, but it's not like they're fighting for life or death!"

Percy paused, mouth hanging open. "Wait..." he scowled. "You were talking about the Titan football team?"

"What else would I be talking about?!"

Percy chuckled wryly as he scratched the back of his neck, suddenly uncomfortable. "Oh. I - uh, I thought you were talking about the mythical Titans. Like, the ones I fight." the two stared at each other. After a moment, Paul chuckled which morphed turned into a laugh, which drew its own laugh from Percy.

"No wonder you weren't making any sense," Paul said heartily, in which Percy agreed. Their laughter was interrupted, however, as Sally set the first plate of sandwiches on the table. Instantly, eyes widened and lips were licked in hungry fascination.

Annabeth set the other plate near Sally's and took a seat next to Percy as Paul said to Sally, "This looks delicious." and gave her a peck on the cheek.

Percy, on the other hand, licked his lips eagerly and reached for a sandwich. But Sally was faster and swat his hand away. "Percy; manners," she scolded. "Be a gentleman." she looked pointedly between him and Annabeth.

Percy sighed but nodded. "Of course..." he picked up a sandwich and turned to Paul. "Paul would you like a sandwich?" both Paul and Annabeth chuckled as Sally flicked Percy on the head.

"Ow-ow, okay fine," he turned to Annabeth and presented her with the food. "For you, M'lady."

Annabeth nodded her head in acknowledgment. "Thank you, kind sir."

Percy gave her a small wink before reclaiming his spot on the couch, taking with him a glass of lemonade. From the other side of the table, Sally rolled her eyes in hidden amusement. "Sometimes I wonder what I did wrong." she mused.

Percy merely grinned from the rim of his cup.


	5. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, this story is gradually getting more popular, so to make sure i keep up I want you all to guilt me into updating. Don't hold back, say whatever you need to say to get me writing. This story is still coming back to me, so let's hope it turns out well.**

 **Here is chapter 4!**

After lunch, Percy and Annabeth bid Sally and Paul good-bye. Percy picked up their trunks as Annabeth went t hail a taxi. But she stopped.

"You know, a faster way to get their would be-"

Percy's eyes widened as he realized what she was thinking, and he quickly interjected, "Nuh-uh! Nope. Nata. No way. Annabeth, what the Hades? First we actually take a plane here, and now you want to call hail the Grey Sisters? Please tell me I'm not dating a psychopath!" Percy shook his head in exasperation and dropped the trunks to hail a taxi.

Annabeth crossed her arms but smiled, "C'mon Percy, your losing your edge." her tone was casual, but there was a hidden message beneath. A challenge.

Percy scoffed,"Me? Lose my edge? Annabeth your looking at the guy who sent Medusa's head to Olympus. The guy who fell from the guys who snuck out of Camp to find you. I so did not lose my 'edge'".

Shifting her position, Annabeth's grey eyes were piercing and strong as she looked at him. "Really?" she asked.

"Really." Percy confirmed.

Annabeth nodded her head a little, before stepping closer "Than prove it. Call the Grey Sisters, show us that Percy Jackson is still as rebellious and adventurous as when he was 12 years old." she fished a drachma out of her pocket and held it out to Percy.

Now Percy's fatal flaw wasn't pride, that was Annabeth's gig, but Percy Jackson doesn't step down from a challenge, especially when protecting his reputation.

"I walked right into this didn't I?" Percy asked, eyeing the Drachma.

"Oh yeah." Annabeth smirked.

Sighing, Percy took the drachma. He stepped forward toward the curb, but before he could do anything a figure ran into him. Percy landed on the ground with an _oomph_ , and felt something wet run along his skin.

Annabeth hurriedly helped Percy up, the figure on the ground was wearing a ratty black hood soaked thoroughly with water, like he had stuffed himself in a pile of snow. Percy grumbled and brushed off his coat, before realizing that he had forgotten to let the water soak him. Thankfully though, the man on the ground was too angry to notice.

"Watch where your going!" he growled, getting to his feet.

"Hey you ran into me!" Percy objected, but the guy was already moving past, getting lost into the crowds. A little miffed, Percy stepped back to the curb, and after Annabeth instructed him on what to do say, he said their chant and flipped the drachma onto the roadside, watching as it sunk into the asphalt as if it were sand.

Nothing happened for a moment, but Percy didn't let that fool him. It wasn't long until a space darkened on the road, about the size of a parking space, then the red, blood-like liquid appeared, shifting and taking shape, before a car appeared.

It was the familiar, grey, smokey taxi cab the two had ridden together, with Tyson, so many years before. The passenger window rolled down and one of the Grey Sisters stuck her ugly head out saying "Passage?"

"Two to Camp Half-Blood," Percy said, "Please." he added as an afterthought, might as well be a little nice, he DID threaten to throw their eye out into traffic last they met. Annabeth opened the door and went in, he didn't know if the Grey Sister's had a trunk in their cab, and he didn't know if he wanted them to have one either.

The cab looked so smokey and transparent, Percy feared their luggage would fall right out. So instead he brought them into the backseat with him. It was cramped, and squishy, Annabeth gave Percy a glare, which Percy just shrugged at.

The seats looked more cracked and lump from the last time, and this time Percy strapped himself in with the black chain seat-belt substitute.

The three wrinkly women up front, shifted in their seats. "Oh, its these kids again." Wasp muttered from behind the wheel. They had shifted their positions so that Wasp was now driving, Anger was in the middle, and Tempest was on the passenger door.

Wasp glanced at Percy with their one eye, Percy shifted uncomfortable and pretended to straighten the luggage.

"Where's the monster kid you were traveling with?" Anger said, while eyeing the...eye squished in Wasp's socket.

"He's not here at this time." Percy answered.

Tempest looked like she was rolling her eyes, if she had any that is. "Oh course he's not with you, you remember that we don't carry that kind. Eh?"

Percy didn't no what to say, so he just nodded while Annabeth said "Yes."

"Ah, that's good. I hate it when those, disgusting, filthy monsters ask for passage, i mean why-" Wasp started, but Tempest reached over and whacked her on the head. "They didn't pay us to chat. Drive Wasp, or I'll take over."

"Alright, alright." Wasp screeched, waving Tempest's bony hands away. "Long Island HO!" she shrieked, before flooring the accelerator. I flew slightly forward, but thanks to the chain I didn't hit my head this time.

The pre-recorded voice buzzed out: _Hi, this is Ganymede, cup-bearer to Zeus, and when I'm out buying wine for the Lord of the Skies, I always buckle up!_

"Remember to go right. Right! Right!" Anger yelled at Wasp, looking ready to grab the wheel from her.

"Shut up and let me drive!" Wasp snapped back, taking a sharp right. Annabeth was promptly thrown over to Percy, who got smooshed into the window with one of the trunks digging into his leg.

Tempest reached over to Wasp again, "This is why I drive!' she exclaimed, "You two knuckleheads can never get it right. Give me the eye Wasp! You can't even see properly, even with it on!" Tempest made a mad grab for Wasp's face, but Wasp knocked her hand aside.

"No! NO! You got to drive AND have the eye last time. It's my turn!" Wasp whined and growled at the same time.

"That wasn't me, that was Anger! You guys skipped my turn!" Tempest claimed.

Anger scoffed and poked Tempest in her empty eye sockets, "I didn't drive last time! Wasp did! She's been hogging the wheel for the last month!"

"Nuh-ah!" Wasp objected, "It was Tempest."

Annabeth pried herself off Percy, and got to work on putting her chain. Percy didn't know why she didn't do this before, but he helped her anyway.

"Would you guys focus on driving?" Annabeth snapped at them. Anger nodded fervently, "Of course, once Tempest gives me the tooth!" Anger grabbed Tempest's chin and tried to stick her hand in it to pull a yellow tooth out.

"Ot it ager! wat dus hat gaw tow do wiff anyfing" Tempest said with Anger's hand in her mouth, all while clawing at Wasp's face. Wasp swatted at her, and dodged yanking the wheel with her. There was another sharp turn, only this time Percy went sailing into Annabeth.

Annabeth pushed him off and Percy clutched his seat to stay still, "Are sure this was a good idea _now_?" Percy asked her.

"So not the time." Annabeth told him, clutching onto her own seat.

The Grey Sisters continued fighting one another till a sickening _POP!_ was heard with Wasp screeching "Give it back! Give it back!" Percy could see the eye flying around the air with the Grey Sisters hands. Outside the landscape was going by faster and faster till it was like a blur.

Out of sheer desperation Percy reached out and grabbed the eye from the 6 grabbing hands. "Hey!" they cried out simultaneously. The eye was small and slimy, and it took everything of Percy's willpower not to throw up and toss it as far away from him as he could.

"If you guys don't-" Percy started but Tempest interrupted. "Aw he wants to know something again!" she sniffed. Percy didn't, he was just going to threaten them to control themselves while they got to Camp Half-Blood, or their eye was going to end up street pizza. But if they did have something to tell him.

"Why?" Percy asked. "Is there something I should know?"

Anger and Wasp smacked and hit Tempest angrily. "Now he knows!"

"There's no point in heroes asking anymore!" Anger said. "Not with Tempest around. LEFT WASP!"

There was another sharp turn. "Tell me!" Percy threatened, and started rolling down the window, "Percy!" Annabeth warned, sending a panicked look out the outside.

"Alright, we'll tell you!" they wailed, "but don't drop our eye!" Percy nodded, somehow they knew that so they relaxed slightly. "What you need to know is," Tempest said, "Don't go near the water."

"Huh?" Percy asked in confusion.

"That's it, we told you. Now give me back the eye!" Wasp cried, Percy didn't want to just yet, but the look Annabeth was giving him caused him to throw the eye to Wasp.

That and she yelled at him "PERSEUS JACKSON, JUST GIVE THEM BACK THE EYE!"

Wasp popped the eye back into her socket, sighed happily and slammed on the brakes. The force had Annabeth and Percy both being shoved forward, even with their chains on. "Okay we're here!" Wasp happily announced.

And for a second time that day, Percy felt like kissing the ground. And for the second time that day, Percy restrained himself from doing so.

He got the trunks out with shaky hands, but before he could ask the three sisters about what they said, they were already zooming off, leaving a cloud of smoke behind. For a moment the two just stood there, in front of Half-Blood Hill, waiting for their stomachs to catch up.

"That...was insane." Percy muttered.

"Yeah, let's never do that again." Annabeth agreed holding her stomach.

Percy lifted up the trunks, "And whose idea was it to do it in-" but he was cut off with a punch in the arm. "Yep, shutting up." Percy announced. And together they walked toward Thalia's Tree.

 **Alright, done!**

 **I hope you guys liked how I wrote the Grey Sisters, they were back in the Sea of Monsters. I tried to get their personalities as best I could, but it was kind of hard.**

 **Remember to guilt me into updating, I'm counting on you guys!**

 **Anyway, comment and review. If I made any grammar or spelling mistakes, please kindly point them out and I'll try to get around to fixing them. Thanks for reading.**


	6. Chapter 5

The walk up the to Thalia's tree was short, the only sound the crunching of snow beneath their shoes. Though Percy could remember how long it seemed all those years ago; dragging Grover up with him. It had been years and years ago, but now, walking up this hill, it felt like yesterday. Annabeth noticed his expression, "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked. "If the Grey Sister's driving freaked you out, it's-"

"No," Percy chuckled. "It's not that. It's just-" he stopped his ascent and just looked at the scenery around him. "I remember when I first came to camp. It's been so long since then."

Annabeth nodded, and smiled at the memories that played in her head. "Yeah," she murmured, her hand ghosting over her camp necklace, fingers barely skimming the clay beads. "You remember the first thing you said to me?"

Annabeth laughed, "Which one, before or after you were unconscious?" she asked with an amused smile. Percy laughed too; he scratched the back of his neck in thought. "As amusing as the second one was," he said, "I quite like 'he's the one, he must be'." Annabeth blushed, and punched his should playfully.

"Aw shut up," she whined with a smile. Percy grabbed his shoulder in false pain, before picking their suitcases back up. The two continues their ascent up the hill, Thalia's tree rose majestically, a beacon of terror for any monster roaming the surrounding trees. Peleus, the tree's guardian, was wrapped menacingly around the tree's wide trunk; his scales glistened brilliantly in Apollo's sun.

Peleus raised his head up from his resting position, and watched Percy and Annabeth approach with intelligent eyes. "Hey Peleus," Percy greeted. Annabeth stroked his snout, and the serpent nuzzled her hand affectionately. "Just coming for a visit," the dragon crooned in approval, and lay his head back down.

"Glad you approve." Annabeth told him, before hooking her arm with Percy's and they headed to the Big House. The air was filled with the excited sounds of campers, and the aroma of strawberries drifted through the grass. The fact that the satyrs and nymphs could keep the plants producing fruit, even through the winter, never failed to astound him. The troubles of winter outside had no place in Camp Half-Blood. Nothing seemed to have changed at all; satyrs chased flirtatious nymphs, demigods climbed the scorching lava wall, and Percy would see the outline of canoes on the lake, despite the chillier air.

Everything he was so much warmer and unfamiliar, it felt like a refreshing breeze on his mind. Both Percy and Annabeth had been focused on their mortal studies and problems, sometimes they forgot about the place they had originated from. Annabeth took a deep breath, inhaling all the familiar scents. "It feels good to be back." She said, before shrugging off her coat.

Thanks to the magic barrier, it didn't seem as though Khione touched this place all. It was warm, and free of the nippy winter air and snow that covered the area outside. "Hey, do you think Chiron will change the barrier to let it snow here?" Percy asked.

He got a raised eyebrow, "Why?" she questioned.

"Because I'm used to a snowy Christmas, it'll be so weird without the snow." Percy answered.

Annabeth rolled her eyes, "Well I'm sure if you said please, both Chiron _AND_ Dionysus _MIGHT_ consider it." She told him. Percy pouted, but still carried their suitcases to the Big House. Naturally, Chiron and Mr. D were found playing pinochle, and naturally Chiron was winning, much to Mr. D's displeasure.

Chiron looked up from his cards, giving the approaching a wide smile. "Ah, Annabeth, Percy," he greeted, wheeling himself over them. "How are you?"

"Just fine Chiron." Annabeth answered, and bent down to give him hug. "It feels so good to be back."

"It hasn't been the same without you two," Chiron told her with a chuckle, before turning to Percy. "I'm sure that's what you say to all your campers," Percy accuses good-naturedly, and gave Chiron a hug as well. Chiron chuckles, and motions for them to join him at their game.

Annabeth politely declines, "We've got to go get unpacked." She says, motioning to her suitcase.

"They'd ruin the game anyway." Mr. D notes from the table, not even bothering to look up. Chiron rolls his eyes at the camp director, but nods. "Very well, you two look tired from your journey. Especially you Percy, you look a little pale." Percy did look a little pale, but he shrugged off the small feeling of nausea. "I'll be fine," he says, then he and Annabeth head toward the cabins, hand in hand. "And remember, separate Cabins!" Mr. D calls after them.

Percy turns to glare at the wine god, "We weren't planning on sharing!" he yells back, but Annabeth pulls him with her before he could hear the god's reply. As they walk through camp they are greeted by familiar faces. Travis and Conner, Katie, Piper, Will, even Nico. Most come and chat with them a bit, but eventually the two find themselves at the Athena cabin.

"Thank you for escorting me to my cabin," Annabeth says poshly, purposely holding her head high with a gleam in her eyes.

"Of course, ma'lady." Percy replies, and gives a little bow. He grabs her hand and presses a gentle kiss to her knuckles, Annabeth blushes but doesn't pull away.

She grabs her suitcase from Percy's hand and opens the door. "Want to go to the beach when were unpacked?" she asks.

Percy smirks in reply, "Do you even have to ask?"

"Probable not," she answers. She gives him one last smile before closing the door. Percy grabbed his own suitcase and headed to Cabin 3. He felt a little dizzy, and wiped a drop of sweat from his brow, before shaking it off. He'd feel better after a dip in the ocean, especially with Annabeth.

He hurried inside his Cabin, still clean from when he had packed everything up when he had started school with Annabeth. The only thing that gave hints that someone had inhabited the space was his Minotaur horn on the wall, and a few pictures on the wall or a chest.

Percy put his suitcase on the bed, but felt another wave of nausea. This was a bit more intense than last time, and felt himself clinging to the bed post while the feeling passed. "Must be coming down with something," he muttered, rubbing his forehead.

Then got to work putting his things away.

 **Hope you guys liked it. Things are starting to get real!**

 **Though I'm saving the good parts for** next **chapter. Until then!**


	7. Chapter 6

Percy didn't take long in putting his things away, the only thing that slowed his pace was that lingering dizziness, but he figured a quick dip in the ocean would cure that just fine. So he put his things away, and hurried to the beach; he didn't want to keep Annabeth waiting.

Sure enough, his girlfriend was doing just that, she was still in her jeans and shirt, as was Percy. The son of Poseidon had gotten so used to water not soaking his clothes that he sometimes forgets to change into swim shorts. But Annabeth seemed to remember that to, oh the perks being in a relationship of the child of the sea god.

Annabeth smiled as Percy approached, Percy snaked his arm around her waist "Shall we, Madam?" he asked, gesturing his head toward the beach. Annabeth nodded, "We shall." She approved with a slight chuckle. "Oh and I invited Piper to join us. I was going to invite Hazel too, but she's at Camp Jupiter right now." She added as they walked."

Percy shrugged, "That's fine." He said, he wasn't all too concerned. Unlike some girls, *cough Aphrodite kids cough*, those two didn't talk about that weird, girly stuff. Like, shoes, and clothes, and all those things Percy didn't understand. They talked most about killing monsters, weapons, and things Percy could actually relate too. Although there was the occasional girl talk about guys, what they should wear on a date, and when they agree both Percy and Jason are being numbskulls. But if it came to that, Percy could just go start up a conversation with a school of friendly fish.

Fish had interesting things to talk about, sometimes...

Or maybe he and Jason could do something; both were always good for a challenge (wherever Piper was, Jason was usually present as well).

Annabeth smiled at Percy in satisfaction, like she just made a good choice. She often gave him that look, as well to her laptop (which was still in Tartarus) and her dagger (also in Tartarus) and whenever her plans worked. Percy thought it was adorable. It wasn't soon before they made it to the beach, where Piper and Jason were already waiting.

"Annabeth!" Piper greeted, giving said half-blood a big hug. "Hey Piper!" Annabeth hugged back.

Percy and Jason fist bumped, Percy asking "What's up?"

Jason smiled, running a hand through his hair. "Not much," he answered, "Everything's been quiet, not very many monster attacks. Which is good." Percy nodded in agreement. "How's college with Annabeth?" Jason asked.

"Going good, not very many monster attacks either. And I'm actually passing, something else I'm not used to." Percy replied. They shared a laugh, before Piper and Annabeth snapped them out of their reunion. The girls dragged them to near the waves, before stopping a few feet and plopping on the ground.

Usually Percy would've jumped in the waves without a second thought, but for some reason, this time, he hesitated. Looking at the water, nausea churned in Percy's stomach and made him want to barf. He rubbed his head as the dizziness worsened, and suppressed a groan. "Hey, Percy?" Annabeth asked in concern, "Are you okay?"

Percy gave her a weak smile, "Fine," he muttered. Piper and Jason shared a concerned look, and Annabeth's eyes narrowed dangerously. "No, really," Percy reassured, "I'm okay. Just a little dizzy is all, nothing the ocean can't cure." He said. Annabeth's gaze didn't lighten up.

It was understandable. She's gotten a lot more protective, ever since that day she woke up to find Percy gone. Annabeth was afraid that one day, she would open her eyes and Percy would be gone...for good. And honestly, the thought scared her. Seeing her so worried, Percy decided to prove it. "See, look." He said, and walked to the water. "I'll be fine."

But as he got a few inches from the water, the strangest thing happened. The water rose up, and actually pushed Percy away. Well, it didn't really make contact. It was like the water emitted some kind of strange force, that pushed Percy back from contacting the water, and he landed on his back on the sand. "Wha-?" he questioned in disbelief.

"Percy, what are you doing?" Piper asked.

"That wasn't me." Percy answered, getting back to his feet. He got odd looks, "What do you mean that wasn't you?" Jason questioned, "You can control water."

Percy gave him a 'no-duh' look, "I know," he said, "But that wasn't me. Why would I will the water to push me away from-well...the water?" he asked, scratching his forehead in confusion.

Jason and Piper shrugged, while Annabeth's face turned into her thinking expression. Percy looked back toward the water, and took an experimental step forward. Immediately, the water rose up again and he was pushed back by that invisible force, only this time farther away. "Okay, what's going on?" Percy demanded, his face turning pale (and slightly green) and he started sweating as he head began to throb.

Annabeth was watching, "I...have no idea." He admitted, a sour look gracing her feature. She hated not knowing something; it itched at her brain and annoyed her. "Maybe it's Poseidon." She thought aloud.

"But why would my dad keep me from my own element?" Percy pointed out. "It doesn't make sense." He took another step toward the water, and the water rose up once more. The effects were the same, once again pushing Percy farther back. But this time a voice whispered in the salty air saying: _Stay away_.

Everyone exchanged looks, obviously hearing it. But just to be sure, Percy asked "Everyone else heard that right?" they all nodded, and he sighed in relief. At least he wasn't going crazy. Unless they all were going crazy...

He looked at the water, and once again approached it. The same thing happened, and the voice returned. _Stay away!_ It said louder, and more urgent. It was a female voice, soft, but frantic. Then something rose from the water surface.

It was the water nymphs who inhabited the water. They ignored Annabeth, Jason, and Piper and looked at Percy. "Stay away!" one of them repeated, all shared a sad, worried, and scared look. "You must stay away from the water!" she continued, "It's not safe." And with one last worried glance, they all sank back into the water.

Piper, Jason, and Annabeth looked at Percy. But Percy didn't notice, he was staring at the spot the water nymphs had appeared, his face had gone Nico-pale, and he was visible shaking, sweat trickled down his face. Annabeth was immediately to her feet, and she stood in front of Percy, taking his clammy hand into hers. "Percy?" she asked, worry overflowing from her voice. Percy could hear her, but he felt rooted to the spot.

Sickness coiled in his stomach, and was expanding throughout his body. He was paralyzed, and felt unconnected to the world.

Percy didn't acknowledge Annabeth, which scared her even more. "We have to get him to Chiron." She said to Jason and Piper, who weren't too far behind her. Jason threw one of Percy's arms over his shoulder, while Annabeth did the same to his other. They started walking toward the Big House, and Percy began to tune back into his surroundings the farther we got from the water.

"M'okay," he murmured half-hearted, with the sudden urge to throw up. Neither of them felt convinced, Piper trailed behind them, not sure what to do, and feeling completely useless in the situation. Annabeth tried to ease up the tension, "Leave it to you, Seaweed Brain, to get sick on the first day of our vacation." She joked.

It helped, a little. Percy chuckled, his head begin to droop. "Hey, stay awake." Annabeth prompted him, slightly shaking his arm. "Can you do that for me?"

"Mhm!" Percy said, perking up a bit, sort of like an excited 6 year old. But almost right away his head drooped again, and he groaned loudly. "An'beth," he slurred, "M'not feeling t'good." His feet then gave out from under him, and he dropped. Not expecting the sudden weight, Jason and Annabeth stumbled slightly before propping him up again. "Percy, stay awake." Annabeth said.

Percy didn't reply.

"Percy!" Annabeth repeated, "C'mon Seaweed brain!" but he still gave no answer.

His eyes felt like wet sand, but feeling hot and uncomfortable at the same time-like he kept them open too long. But he couldn't resist the darkness that was staining his vision, Annabeth's voice was there-but muffled and far away. Percy tried to anchor himself to it, to keep himself awake a little longer.

But-he just couldn't.

Percy's eyes closed, and he slipped into unconsciousness. The last thing he heard sounded like laughter, it tickled his ear-like someone was breathing dangerously close to his face, the laughter was dark, and almost maniacal. It echoed inside his head, as everything faded into a black haze.


	8. Chapter 7

Annabeth paced worriedly outside on the Big House porch, her arms were folded tightly across her stomach, and her face was pulled into a look that said _interrupt-me-while-I'm-thinking-and-never-see-the-light-of-day-again._ Right when she and Jason had got Percy to the Big House, Annabeth told Chiron what happened and the centaur ordered him to be put in one of the quest rooms. Right now Chiron, and Will Solace were in there with Percy, but they ordered everyone to remain outside.

Which included Annabeth.

Now she couldn't stop pacing, panic and worry was flaring in her system and her brain was going on over-load to figure out what was happening. Demigods didn't just- _get sick_...they got the occasional cold or flu (or poison/wound induced sickness), but never that fast or abrupt.

There were other questions too, like: Why was the ocean forcing Percy back? Water was his element, his home turf-it made no sense to why he couldn't go near the water-

Annabeth stopped abruptly, her breathing hitched as she repeated that in her head. _He couldn't go near the water_. Where had she heard that? Her face scrunched up in confusion, that statement was so familiar, yet...she couldn't remember anything about it. Which was weird because, Annabeth didn't forget stuff that easily-especially important stuff (and for some reason, this struck her as VERY important). Annabeth took a deep breath, she leaned forward and curled her hands on the one of the Big House porches post, and looked down. _He couldn't go near the water_.

Who had said that too her? It was at the very tip of her tongue; it was narrowly escaping her mind. Her mom, Athena, hadn't spoken to her lately-so it couldn't be her. She hasn't spoken to any god for while in fact, so clearly no Olympian (or other random God) had said it to her. Chiron never mentioned it, neither did any of her other demigod friends that she hasn't seen in a while. Suddenly frustrated, Annabeth slammed her fist down on the post and grit her teeth. What was going on? Her mind was coming up blank, like a sleet wiped clean, or a chalk board erased. It angered her so bad, this information was important. She could tell, if she could just... _REMEMBER_!

"He couldn't go near the water..." Annabeth mumbled lowly to herself, but saying it out loud didn't bring anything to the surface either. But Annabeth was snapped out of her thoughts as someone cleared their throat uncomfortable behind her, Annabeth whirled around to see Will. He rubbed his neck awkwardly, with his eyes not meeting Annabeth's. "Am I interrupting anything?" he asked.

"No," Annabeth told him, quickly composing herself. "Is Percy alright?"

The look Will had didn't reassure her. "Well..." he mumbled, "Both Chiron and I both had a look at him, but we don't really know what's causing this sickness. I mean, this isn't any flu, or poison related illness."

Annabeth nodded, "Okay, and how is Percy?"

"He's burning up, definitely has a fever, he's throwing up, and he's really dizzy. But it wasn't caused by normal conditions. I don't know-it's hard to explain, but I can just _tell_ that something else is causing this, like its almost a whole new illness. It's sort of a child of Apollo thing, I just know." he said. Annabeth understood, and this new information didn't make her feel any better.

In fact, she almost felt...guilty? But why?!

Will noticed Annabeth's downcast expression, and added, "But you can go up and see him if you like, just for a bit. I think you being there will cheer him up." Will gave her a small smile, which Annabeth returned.

"Thanks Will," she said gratefully, before hurrying into the Big House.

"He's in a room up the stairs, after a left turn, at the end of the hall!" Will yelled after her. "Thanks!" she yelled again, before completely disappearing from sight. Will shook his head with a slight chuckle. _Love birds_ , he thought. Until his thoughts turned to a certain child of Hades who was supposed to be visiting soon; Will blushed a little before heading toward his cabin.

Annabeth found Percy's room with no problem, she knocked before entering though-because manners were still important. Percy was lying on a bed in the corner, the blanket had been pulled up to his chin, but he was shivering underneath it with beads of sweat shining on his forehead and temples. His face was scrunched up in discomfort, and he was groaning softly.

But Percy cracked open one of his eyes as Annabeth came closer, and gave her a weak smirk. "Fancy seeing you here." he murmured. Annabeth scoffed and sat on the edge of his bed, she tried not to smile at him-so he knew that this was no joking matter. But once he added in the baby seal eyes, she cracked.

With a small chuckle she ran her fingers softly through his hair, "Only your luck is this bad." she accused him. He smiled back in agreement, before wincing slightly and groaning lowly. A frown flickered on Annabeth's face, which Percy noticed and frowned as well. He tried to sit up, but Annabeth pushed him back down.

"You are staying in bed until you are over this sickness." Annabeth told him sternly. Percy had the guts to laugh.

"Yes Ma'am." he saluted wearily, settling back down. Annabeth glared at him, anger and frustration coming back to her. "Seriously Percy," she said softly, "This isn't a joke. Will and Chiron don't know what's the matter with you, I don't have a clue to what's going on either. I'm just...I'm just worried."

Percy sighed and replied, "Yeah, I know-" his stomach twisted with nausea and he paused for a moment. "-I'm sure I'll be fine." he finished, a bead of sweat trickled down his feverish skin. Percy's skin looked really pale, and his lips were a lot whiter-meaning he was dehydrated. Annabeth looked around, she got up to walk into the bathroom, retrieved a bandage (bandages were stashed anywhere and everywhere-in case of emergencies) and ran it under the faucet to get it soaked.

She carried it back to Percy, but before she could place it on his forehead she suddenly stopped as the words: _He can't go near the water_ -floated in her head. Annabeth bit her lip hesitantly, water was the one of the first things that came to mind when healing Percy (besides ambrosia and nectar of course) the thought of it doing something different to him seemed weird. But Annabeth couldn't help this feeling that water just wouldn't fix this one. "What's wrong?" Percy asked, his eyes drooped a little.

Annabeth with drew her hand and clothe, and set it on the desk as far away from Percy as she could. She returned by his side, "I don't know..." he replied back honestly, biting her lip again, eyes darker and stormier. "Okay this might sound weird, okay," she told him, "But I want an honest reply; okay?"

Percy looked at her a little concerned; he re-positioned himself before nodding, "Uh, yeah-okay..."

"Do you remember anything about staying away from water?" Annabeth asked, and Percy gave her a weird look.

"Why would I stay away from the water? It's my-" he suddenly paused as a thought came to him, and his eyes narrowed. "Wait...I think...I think I did hear something about that." he corrected himself, eyebrows knit together in confusion.

Annabeth breathed in relief, at least she wasn't the only one. "Me too," she told. "But I just...I can't remember what it was."

Percy's eyes widened comically, "You? Forgot something? Wow-okay, something _must_ be seriously wrong." Annabeth punched him playfully, eyes twinkling a little. "Be serious Seaweed Brain." she told him, sobering up.

With an amused smile on his face, Percy lay against the pillows-his eyes drooped a little more. "I'm sure you'll figure it out," he yawned, body trembling weakly, but pure trust shown in his eyes. "You always do," he murmured.

A soft smile played on Annabeth's lips, and she grabbed his clammy hand in her own and squeezed gently. "I hope so," she whispered, but for once-she felt doubt. Something seemed different about this situation.

Like Will, she could just feel that something was wrong. Way wrong.

But she didn't know what!

 **Okay, done. BOOM! Plot twist (I guess), Percy and Annabeth don't remember their encounter with the Grey Sisters! What could have caused this in such a short period of time? Will Annabeth ever figure out what's hurting her Seaweed Brain?**

Your **going to have to wait and see! :P**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed! I added in some Percabeth fluff! YAY! OTP! Tell me what you think! Love** ya **! 3**

 **-BFA**


	9. Chapter 8

The news about the sudden sickness Percy picked up spread through camp like wildfire - and Camp Half-Blood has seen QUITE a few wildfires.

There were, naturally, a bunch of stories flying around. One was that a sea serpent showed up and bit Percy, another stated that it was Athena who was taking her wrath out on the son of Poseidon. One story got as wild as saying that Poseidon himself lifted up from the sea and was punishing his own son for...for something. Honestly, Annabeth just quite listening to the stories as soon as that one got to her.

Of course people stopped by the Athena Cabin and Big House - the two places Annabeth alternated spending her time - asking questions and requesting to see Percy themselves. Every single one of them was threatened by Mr. D for interrupting his Pinochle game or disturbing his nap.

For once, Annabeth was grateful for Mr. D's grouchy-ness, because Percy was getting worse by the hour. At first it had been nothing but queasy sickness and headaches, but its increased to near-constant puking, migraines, and intense, deep aching.

Percy's main verbal communication has been reverted to groaning whispers, and pained whimpers. He still talked with Annabeth and tried to be that of a properly functioning human-being, but that was taxing his body too and Annabeth often had to make sure he remained in bed and didn't move - unless he needed to use the bathroom, in which case that's where Will came in.

And under no circumstances did Annabeth let him have water.

She talked to Chiron about her and Percy's shared feeling about him coming in contact with water, and while Chiron was hesitant about it at first, he let the order carry out that Percy remained without his element.

Of course people needed water to live, but now Percy's diet has come down to juice boxes and Ritz Crackers - both of which were always puked back up. No water was hard for Percy, but he was putting on a brave face and going without it - something Annabeth couldn't help but admire.

Water was to Percy as books were to Annabeth.

And Annabeth didn't think she could go without her books - dyslexia or not, reading was one of her favorite past times.

Currently, she was with Percy in the guest room at the Big House. Her boyfriend was asleep in his bed, several layers of blankets on top of him with sweat slipping down his forehead and neck and pained whimpers ever so often coming from him as he moved.

Annabeth was - naturally - reading silently in a comfortable chair pulled up next to the bed. But she couldn't focus on the word as her eyes kept drifting up to land on Percy's face, which was scrunched up in discomfort and pain.

Finally, she ended up closing the book and abandoning it by the bed-side desk. She sat quietly, nibbling on her lip in thought as she watched Percy. His skin was very pale, but he was getting shadows under his eyes from lack of sleep, once raven black hair had fallen a limp with sweat; aside from the sweaty hair and cracked, dehydrated lips , Percy was beginning to get an uncanny resemblance to Nico.

That was worrying.

Not that there was anything wrong with Nico of course, it was just that her usually bright, full-of-life-and-love boyfriend was slowly looking like the son of death...Annabeth wasn't sure if it was some omen she should take into account, or if it was just coincidence...but when it came to the half-blood life, there were no coincidences.

"Darn it Percy!" Annabeth mumbled, raising her hands to rub the sleep from her eyes - she too hasn't had much sleep. "Why is it always you?"

"Cause the Fates just love me." a weak, but amused voice rasped. Annabeth looked over at the bed, where said boyfriend was staring at her with miserable sea-green eyes.

"Oh yeah, they love you alright." Annabeth sarcastically agreed, scooting her chair up closer to him. "They love using you as they're personal soccer ball! Just kicking and playing with you and not even giving you a break or a chance to hit the ground."

Percy cracked her a small smile, which seemed to stretch his cracked lips painfully, "Your going in pretty deep there Wise Girl, ever thought of becoming a poet?"

Annabeth snorted loudly, "Oh yeah, that's definitely in my top 5 list of job careers." she replied sarcastically. "Annabeth Chase, distinguished poet of modern Greek, 2016. I'll become a bestseller."

"Yeah, you can rhyme extremely complicated, and confusing ballads of my feats of strength and wisdom." Percy feebly laughed, which was cut short by a groan. Annabeth chuckled a little too, but it trailed off with a sigh and she leaned forward and rested her forehead on the edge of the bed.

Peter adjusted his position so his face was closer to her. With another small smile, Annabeth ran her fingers through is soggy, limp hair. "On a scale of 1 to 12, 1 being Apollo and 12 being Hephaestus, how do you feel?"

Percy thought for a moment, "Hmmm...maybe a 10 - is Dionysus a 10? I feel grumpy and gross and like I want to strangle annoying children with my blankets and throw them in the lake." Percy strangled his blankets in example.

Annabeth rolled her eyes with a laugh; the strangulation was cut short as Percy dropped the cloth and face-planted his pillow weakly. "I hate being sick!" Percy whined in the pillow obnoxiously.

"Understandable." Annabeth agreed, still running her hand through his hair. Percy turned his head and looked into her eyes. They stayed like that for a moment, both heads laying on the bed, and just enjoyed each others company.

"You have beautiful eyes." Percy whispered, as if to share a well-guarded secret.

"I could say the same for you." Annabeth whispered. Percy made an affectionate, "D'aww!" and scooted closer to her. "Look how in love we are!" he grinned.

Annabeth laughed and playfully pushed his face back a little. "Hold up Romeo, let's wait till you get better before we get lovey-dovey."

"Oh darn it." Percy halfheartedly grumbled. "Because I was totally feeling good enough for a quick make-out session."

"Is that sarcasm Perseus Jackson?"

"Sarcasm? Pfft! Never?"

"Even sick and still being witty." Annabeth shook her head as if to scold and tsked. "What would you mother think."

"That I was her son." Percy retorted, sticking his tongue out at Annabeth in a playful manner. Annabeth chuckled and smiled widely, they were quiet again until...

"Hey, uh, Annabeth?"

"Yeah Percy."

"Could you get Will? I really need to pee."

She sighed, "Sure thing Seaweed Brain."

That's all I got time for now. It's something small and brief that you guys can hold onto as I get back on top of my game.

Just some more cute percabeth fluff! The next chapter will be more of a contribution to the plot. Also, shoutout to all mt faithful readers out there! I don't deserve your love and affection!


	10. Chapter 9

**I am aware that I accidentally said "Peter" instead of "Percy" in the last chapter, please stop bringing it up. Thank you :)**

 _Annabeth (POV)_

 _Annabeth was standing, barefoot, in a barren land that stretched on for miles and miles, with nothing in either direction. The ground was nothing but cobalt rock, smoothed to a marble texture that gave her the feeling that if she slipped, she'd never stop sliding. The sky was a dark grey that reminded her of smoke, the kind that would be seen from a forest fire. It shifted and swirled hypnotically, sometimes giving off the impression of winged creatures flying in its midst._

 _A snippy breeze wafted over her skin from the left, sending goosebumps up her arm. It carried with it the smell of the sea, a comfort compared to the oppressive sky and cold rock._

 _Annabeth followed it, allowing the feel of ocean air and smell of sea salt to act as her guide. Gradually, the rock broke down into soft grains of sand that shifted from black to a pink-ish white. The grey sky lifted away to reveal a blue sky beneath its pressing force; the sound of crashing waves reached her ears not to long after._

 _The next thing she knew, the dark atmosphere she had been in melted away into a beach. Here palms trees rose majestically from the ground, sprouting against a gorgeous blue sky that seemed as deep as the sea; the ocean itself was a crystal green-blue that seemed as still as glass aside from the slow, peaceful waves that lolled against the sand and rocks._

 _Annabeth felt her breath wisk from her lungs at the sheer beauty of it._

 _And there, standing just above the roll of the waves, was Percy. His hair was tousled in his usual, messy way; his eyes beautifully reflected the color of the ocean, only shimmered with humor and mischief. He wore his usual Camp clothes, jeans with a CHB shirt and sneakers; his bead necklace hung from his neck, resting lazily just below his shirt collar._

 _Percy turned his head to the side, looking at Annabeth with a smirk tugging at his lips. "Come on Wisegirl, the water's not so bad." he called, stepping toward the surf._

 _Annabeth felt her heart lift, and she felt the urge to join him in. To relax and enjoy each other's company; just be boyfriend and girlfriend for a while, with no school, no monsters, and no gods interrupting._

 _But, as she moved to go to him, something nagged at the back of her skull. Something didn't wasn't right._

 _Percy took another step toward the water, his eyes playful and urging her to come over. But Annabeth felt suddenly rooted to the spot. The smile disappeared from her face as she thought fiercely to figure out what was wrong with the situation._

 _Another step, this time Percy's toe barely missed the touch of the rolling waves. Startled, Annabeth realized the water was getting aggressive. It seemed to lurch for Percy now, scratching at the ground with cold fingers, reaching for his feet to drag him under._

 _Suddenly, the palm tree's seemed more like beastial hands tearing apart the breeze, and the sky seemed too big and too dark to be beautiful. The ocean was no longer a peaceful, calming view, but a Venus Flytrap drawing in its latest victim; getting ready to snap its dooming jaws on its prey._

 _Percy didn't know, he didn't realize he was in danger._

 _"Wait!" Annabeth shouted, running for him. The water was barely an inch from him. "Percy, its trap! Back away! BACK AWAY!"_

 _Percy stopped, looking at her in bewilderment. But it was already too late, the water jumped forward and pooled around his feet, all the way up to his ankles. Anything Percy had to say was lost in his lips, as his eyes widened in horror._

 _All of the sudden, his skin was leeched of its healthy hue; his shining hair fell limp and seemed to lose its color; his lips cracked and started to bleed; his limbs fell limp and weak by his sides; and his eyes were drained of their color and emotion._

 _Annabeth made it by his side, and pulled him from the poisonous water. She and Percy fell back on the sand, "Percy!" she called, looking down at him in panic._

 _He didn't respond, he barely breathed. He simply stared at the dark sky, about as responsive as a rock. "Come on Seaweed Brain." Annabeth pleaded. "You can't leave me yet."_

 _The water rose up in the air, higher and swirling maddeningly. The wind suddenly picked up and ripped at Annabeth's clothes and hair. The wave curled higher and higher, standing over the two half-bloods like a blood-thirsty giant._

 _Annabeth placed herself over Percy, becoming a barrier between him and the violent element. "You can't have him!" she yelled. She could sense something in the water, something watching her; it wanted Percy, it wanted her Seaweed Brain. It wanted to leech the life from him; wishing to leave nothing by a husky corpse in the place of her boyfriend._

 _"Go away!" she screamed, her hand reaching for a dagger that wasn't there. "You can't have him!"_

 _The water rose high, turning darker and darker till it looked black. Then, it crashed down. Annabeth flung herself over Percy's body, trying to protect as much of him as she could._

 _The water was upon them in seconds._

 _She fought, and she clung to Percy, trying to stay with him as the water rose higher and higher above them. But it was all for not, as he was suddenly pulled away from her fingers and she was alone in the inky water._

 _Annabeth was tossed around like a rag-doll, flipping through the water of hitting into rocks. She panicked when her lungs began to burn, and she fought to swim up to the surface. But something grabbed her by her ankles and dragged her down farther, farther, farther._

 _Images raced through her head, some of which she didn't recognize._

 _She saw a group of shadowed people clustered in what looked like a dark cave, all muttering angrily at one another._

 _She saw another of the Grey-sisters, all fighting over the eye and screaming at Annabeth about the water._

 _She saw herself and Percy walking up Half-Blood Hill, only she now noticed a black figure standing at the edge of the forest, watching them; she caught the faintest whispers of a smell carried through the wind._

 _She saw the water pushing Percy away, the warning of the sea nymphs._

 _And she saw Poseidon, sitting in his throne underwater. His clothes were worn and wrinkled, there were bags under his haunted eyes, his Trident was at his feet - forgotten. The sea god looked up at Annabeth, his face almost pleading as he whispered, "Save my son!" before that image disappeared too._

 _Something laughed in her ear, "What are ye doing to do, Athena brat. You couldn't even save him from himself." the voice was cold as ice and as cruel as a merciless wave. Her hands were pulled behind her back and a powerful hand closed around her throat._

 _She felt the presence of many more beings around her, all laughing and jeering as she jerked and struggled for air._

Annabeth lurched up from her bed, gasping loudly, causing her blankets to fall from her body and onto the floor. Despite the frigid breeze, her skin was hot and feverish and sweaty. Her lungs burned as if she really had been just strangled.

Swallowing thickly, she rubbed her bare arms and listened to her hoarse breathing.

Everything came back to her. The ride with the Grey Sisters, the warning to stay away from water - how had she forgotten something like that?!

It didn't make sense, Annabeth couldn't have forgotten. And she definitely would have never let Percy go by water if it wasn't good for him.

But she had; she didn't remember the warning, and Percy was the one who paid the price.

Annabeth, still breathing heavily, looked out of her window, catching a glimpse of the water of the sea, illuminated by the moon. But she broke out into a cold sweat when she noticed a dark figure standing on the beach, seeming to stare right back at her.

Then she blinked, and it was gone.

That's all I got for now. Hope it answers some questions. Hope you enjoyed!


	11. Chapter 10

"How could I forget something like this?" Annabeth demanded angrily. Dionysus' eyes lazily followed her pacing as he took a sip from his coke. The leopard head on the wall whined lowly as if sensing the distress and frustration from the demigod girl.

"Oh stop that," Dionysus snapped at the leopard. "What would you know about regret?" the leopard whined again. "Oh - well, I suppose your head _is_ on a mantle. But that was completely your fault." the leopard yowled in solemn agreement.

Chiron spared the god an exasperated glance as he wheeled up to Annabeth in his wheelchair. "I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation." he insisted. "In your dream, you said you heard a spell?"

Annabel nodded, "Yeah - yeah, I didn't hear that much of it, but it was definitely a spell." she tapped her chin thoughtfully, "What I don't get is who would do this. I mean, yeah Percy and have our fair share of enemies, but who of them can set a spell powerful enough to erase something as important as a warning from the Grey Sisters?" her lips pursed, "Hera." she decided. "It was Hera."

"Let's not point fingers just yet," Chiron suggested with a soft pat on her arm. "What's done is done. The only thing we _can_ do right now is to try and reverse whatever has been put on Percy."

"Yeah," Annabeth sighed. She folded her arms across her chest, her eye lit with frustration, "Wouldn't even have had to reverse it if it had never happened." she muttered regretfully to herself.

Chiron's eyes softened, "There was nothing you could've done Annabeth. If this adversary is strong then it would've been a matter of time before it happened." Annabeth tried not to think about the fact that Chiron just told her, her boyfriend was doomed to get fatally ill from the start. Cause that would be a bummer. "Besides," Chiron continued, unfazed by her grim look, "you did buy us more time. If we had continued giving him water, as we would anyone, then he would be far worse off."

"Gee, thanks."

"What I'm trying to say is that you did well to trust your gut. You may have well given us more time to save Percy, and sometimes that is all you need." he smiled gently at her. Then to himself, he muttered, "You'd think after all these years I'd be better at giving a pep-talk."

After that, Annabeth couldn't refrain a smile, however small and frail it was. "Thank you Chiron," she told him, bending down to give him a hug. "I'm going to go visit Rachel to see if she's seeing anything. I'll be back with any news soon."

"Before you go," Chiron said, stopping her before she could take more than two steps. "Percy has been requesting to see you."

Annabeth's eyes bulged. "Why didn't you tell me!" she demanded, already sprinting for the stairs.

"Because you came _here_ and started screeching about spells and evil water." Dionysus drawled after her, even though she was already up the stairs and out of earshot. "Demigods." the god sighed, shaking his head in an annoyed huff.

Annabeth raced to Percy's room, not bothering to knock before she came in. She slowed her pace once inside and gently closed the door. She approached the bed quietly, coming to kneel at the bedside. Percy didn't look better, though she supposed he didn't look as bad either. His hair was wet from sweat and clung to his face, his skin held only the smallest pigment of his ocean tan, and he lips were cracked and dry. Behind closed eyelids she could tell his eyes were moving, trembling under the faint whispers of sleep. He was shivering, but when she touched his forehead he felt feverishly hot. A jell-ice pack was stuck between his shoulder and the blankets, probably due to it falling from its place on his head. She grabbed it, flipped it to the colder side, and repositioned it on his forehead. His grimaced face seemed to relax just a fraction, but that was it.

Slowly, his eyes cracked open. Upon first glance, the green of his eyes look dull and low, but once he made eye-contact, Annabeth noticed how they seemed to light up. "Hey Wisegirl." he rasped. "'Was wondering when you'd stop by."

"Chiron said you wanted to talk to me." Annabeth reminded him gently.

Percy grinned wryly, though it strained his sore lips leaving him with more of a wince. "I just wanna see my beautiful girlfriend again." he croaked, "You were gone for so long."

Annabeth rolled her eyes affectionately. "I was gone for one-night Seaweed Brain." she scoffed lightly.

"One night too long for my taste."

She laughed gently and took his hand in her's. He smiled and reached up to cup her face. "I hope this isn't too chick-flick for you," he whispered. "But I really did miss you. There's just something about laying in bed all day that gives you time to think."

"You've been thinking." Annabeth gasped. "Well, that's not good."

He stuck his tongue out at her. They both laughed, feeling at home with each other's familiar presence. Until Percy suddenly broke out into a violent coughing fit that left his whole body heaving. The atmosphere of the room sobered out. Annabeth shot up to help him, softly pushing him back down into the bed so he wouldn't exert himself. Once it passed, Percy seemed to sink lower into the blankets looking depleted of whatever energy he had. It amazed her how something like coughing managed to tire him out so quickly.

"Ugh," Percy groaned miserably, "I feel like an old man."

Annabeth grimaced, "Well, as for right now, you're gonna have to act as such. A very frail old man. If I hear from Will that you're trying to get out of bed, it will not look good for you Jackson."

"M'not frail." came her stubborn response.

She sighed and retook his hand. "I had a dream last," she told him. "It revealed a few things. At least I know why we knew water wasn't good for you." she went ahead and retold the events of last night's dream. Once finished, Percy was looking up at the ceiling in thought.

"Well, at least we know little of what's going on," he mumbled,

"I'm going to go talk to Rachel right now," Annabeth added. "Just to see if she's seeing anything."

"As long as it's not another prophecy." Percy wheezed weakly. "I think we've had enough of those."

"Agreed."

They fell back into silence. Annabeth gently lay her head by their clasped hands, letting the coolness of the sheets and the heat of Percy's hand run through her mind. He was weaker, but he still had that fire in his eyes. As long as he remained her Percy, then she knew it wasn't too late. When she lifted her head back up Percy had fallen back into another troubled sleep. She could see it in the shuddering of his body and grimace in his features.

She got up. She made sure the jell-pack wouldn't fall off soon and positioned the blankets to make him more comfortable. "I'll be back soon," she whispered to his sleeping form and placed a soft his on his forehead. With one last worrying glance, she turned and left the room. She ran down the stairs, through the room where Chiron and Mr.D were talking, and jumped off the porch, never stopping her sprint till Rachel's cave came into view.

"Rachel?" Annabeth called, running up to the entrance. "Rachel you home?"

Something lurched out of the curtain of beads that stood as the door. "Annabeth!" Rachel exclaimed, almost knocking into the child of Athena. She looked slightly panicked and flustered "Oh thank Apollo! I was just about to come look for you. Look, I've been getting this weird visions and-" that was as far as she got before she doubled over.

Annabeth lurched forward to help her. "Rachel, what's wrong?"

Rachel suddenly bolted upright, her back standing as straight as a board. Her eyes glowed a mystic green and smoke started to pour from her mouth.

So much for no prophecies. Annabeth vaguely wondered how she was going to break the news to Percy before the Spirit of Delphi began to speak.

 **And cliffhanger! *disappears in a puff of smoke***


	12. Chapter 11

_'Journey to the place in which the gods rein_

 _Seek out the deity who shares in the blame_

 _With a mother's safety, you'll find the island of Rhodos_

 _Go there to cleanse the evil of the cavern below us_

 _Learn from the past to deceive the last three_

 _It's the body of two who will set the souls free'_

The words ran through Annabeth's brain like a rampant venti spirit, spiraling a giant tornado in her head and leaving all thought into a careening mess. Her brain, despite the sudden mess of thoughts, instantly straightened itself out and set itself to start dissecting every syllable and word spoken, and mull over meanings and possible explanation that she could come up with. As her brain worked on overdrive, she attempted to mask the flurry of her mind with a small frown and the simple task of retrieving a cup of water from the kitchen inside Rachel's cave for the pale, red-headed girl slumped on the bed.

Once the cup received and filled, she went back to the bed room and walked to Rachel, who was laying on the blanket, sprawled out, with her eyes closed. Annabeth softly sat on the edge of the bed, just enough that Rachel knew she was back. The wince on Rachel's face had her asking, "That much of a doozy huh?"

Rachel snorted. "That's the dooziest of the dooziest. I know spewing prophecies can get uncomfortable sometimes, but that was probably the worst on by far," she opened her eyes, quickly catching sight of the plastic cup in Annabeth's hands. She supported herself on wobbly elbows and made grabby hands for the water. Annabeth passed it to her with no resistance.

Spewing green smoke would leave anyone with a dry throat.

Rachel downed the cup and sighed deeply when it was all gone. She tossed the empty plastic dish up by her pillow and flopped back down, on her back this time, and looked up at the ceiling. "So...what'd I say anyway? I'm just the messenger for these things, I don't actually hear them," she paused and scowled. "Actually, I usually just faint when it's over."

"Oh, you did faint," Annabeth reminded her. "Outside. I carried you in here,"

Rachels scowl deepened, not to Annabeth in particular. It looked more like the scowl of knowing something unpleasant and being unable to stop it. "Right," she said. "Anyway, what was the prophecy,"

Annabeth repeated back, slowly, not wanting to miss any details. "Journey to the place in which the gods out the deity who shares in the blame. With a mother's safety, you'll find the Island of Rhodos. Go there to cleanse the evil of the cavern below us. Learn from the past to deceive the last three. It's the body of two who shall set the souls free." she looked back up at Rachel, hoping that her friend might have some clue as to what it meant.

Instead, she got, "Wow, it is a doozy. Have fun figuring that out,"

She frowned and deadpanned, "Thanks," then paused and added, "Any ideas what it could mean?"

Rachel shrugged. "I don't know. Unfortunately, having the Spirit of Delphi inside me doesn't give me many insights. Well, that's a lie actually. I get plenty of vision and stuff. But I haven't felt the need to draw any prophecy-worthy sketches, and I haven't had any weird dreams. Honestly, this kind of came on a little sudden. I definitely wasn't expecting to prophesize today," she seemed to reflect for a second. "But then again, do I ever get a choice?"

Annabeth sighed. Yep, that's the half-blood luck for ya. Both the lack of information and lack of choice. She could sympathize with Rachel. "Thank anyway, I guess,"

"Don't mention," Rachel rolled on to her stomach and looked up at Annabeth. Her thoughtful express suddenly dropped and was replaced by something serious. "How's Percy doing by the way? I was going to go see him before you showed up. Is he any better?"

Annabeth looked down, searching for the answer woven in with the fabric of her jeans. "Still sick," she muttered, "but not as bad as he could be, I suppose," Rachel looked down solemnly, scratching at the sheets with her finger in thought.

"Sorry about not being much of a help," she whispered. "Sometimes I wish I could just tell you guys what a prophecy means. It would probably save you all a lot of pain and trouble," Annabeth glanced over, her troubled gaze softening as she noticed the guilty look in Rachel's eyes.

She wanted to pat her friend on the back or give her a high five or something to make her feel better. But she doubted a high five would do much. "Hey, don't worry about it," she settled on instead, "As much of a pain the arse the prophecies can be, they're still helpful in one way or the other. I mean, it could be worse,"

"I don't hate being the Oracle or anything, but I'm genuinely curious. How worst do you think it could get?" Rachel snorted.

Annabeth thought for a moment. "How about teddy-bear sacrificing worse? C'mon, Percy told me the stories,"

Rachel choked on a laugh. "Oh yeah, definitely worse. I'd think I'd rather barf green smoke rather than tear the stuffing out of some poor teddy. What kind of monster would do that anyway?"

"I think we both know the answer to that,"

They tapered off into silence. Octavian died in the Giant War and as humorous as it was that he sacrificed cotton fluff on an altar, the thought of him, or any demigod, dying kind of sucked any humor from a situation. Octavian might've been a conniving, twisted little twerp, but he was still considered one of them, despite what he'd done.

Annabeth quickly changed the subject. "Well, I should probably get going," she said. "Chiron's gonna want to know about this,"

Rachel nodded in agreement. "Kay, I'll meet back up with you once the cabin leaders are assembled. He's probably going to want to have a meeting about it,"

"He's definitely going to want a meeting about it." Annabeth pushed herself up and went to the exit. She glanced back and gave Rachel a quick wave, who was grimacing so bad Annabeth thought she might start belching smoke again, before walking past the beads and back outside. She sprinted to the Big House, the prophecy still fresh on her mind.


	13. Chapter 12

**The author feels awful for a long wait. Yes, she's very sorry and begs your forgiveness a thousand times over.**

 **Small warning: May or may not have completely forgotten how the whole prohibition-of-gods-from-helping-half-bloods really works. Bear with me, I'm doing my best.**

 **On another note: ENJOY! (Notes at the bottom, READ them)**

Annabeth is the first one in the Council room.

She's pacing the floor and muttering the lines of the prophecy, only vaguely aware of the odd stares the other Senior Camper's are giving her as they make their way around the ping-pong table.

Chiron is the last one inside, having abandoned his wheelchair upstairs so he didn't have to lug it down, standing high enough that his head was almost brushing the ceiling. His horse tail made soft swish sounds as it flicked against his flanks, which Annabeth instantly recognized as his nervous tick. Maybe he was sensing the uneasiness in the air, or perhaps it was the way Annabeth was acting that brought it up, because suddenly his hand was her shoulder which brought her back to the land of the living.

"We're all here," he tells her. "Ready to begin when you are."

Annabeth smiles at him, thankful for the support. It's relieving to know that he's there to pull her back from her head when she dives in too deeply to resurface on her own. Chiron always seems to know what to do when she was on her nerves end, especially at times like this, when a little comment or small touch was all she needed to reel back. In fact, he didn't even need to say anything at all, just standing there was enough to push her troublesome thoughts aside so she could address the assembled campers.

Around the ping-pong table, they're all staring. Clarisse is drumming her fingers irritably on the table, lips pinched in a displeased scowl for being interrupted from whatever it was she'd been doing. "What's this about, Annabeth?" she snaps. "I've got packing to do."

Oh, _right_. Annabeth almost forgot that Clarrise was heading back to Arizona soon. She and Chris were planning on attending college there, before either heading back to camp or finding mortal jobs. A worm of sadness twitches in her gut and Annabeth resists the urge to grimace. She and Percy wouldn't be heading back to their college anytime soon, it appeared.

Bluntly, Annabeth stalked forward and leans against the ping pong table. To them, it might be perceived as a sign of frustration, but honestly, she just needed a little balance after running through the prophecy a dozen of times over. Sometimes people didn't understand just how tiring it could be to rack your brain for an answer you didn't know.

"There's a new prophecy," she tells them straight away, because what's the point in sugar-coating it anymore. A shift of unease rumbles through the group, which then rapidly pushes into exasperation.

" _Again_?" Travis demands with a groan and plonks his head on the table. "Can someone _please_ tell Rachel that we're tired of these prophecies."

Across from him, Katie Gardner scowls. "Well it's not like she has a choice in the matter," she says, "As the Oracle of Delphi, it's kind of her _job._ "

"I know, I know" he scowls, glaring over his folded arms. By him, his brother Connor offers a sympathetic pat on the head before turning to Annabeth.

"So, we saving the world again, or is it just Olympus?"

Annabeth shakes her head. "No, neither,"

He quirks an eyebrow, and says slowly, "Okaaay, then why are we _here_?"

Jason stands up from the table. "Because," he says firmly. "we're saving _Percy_." and the noise in the room drops like a rock.

Since Thalia wasn't here to stand in for the Zeus Cabin, Jason was all but obligated to act as Councilor. Annabeth hadn't told him about that prophecy yet, but he knew just as well as she that whatever was going on with Percy wasn't the run-of-the-mill bad luck that came with being a demigod. Besides, with all the prophecies about him, why wouldn't this one be about Percy either.

Annabeth wants to shoot Jason a grateful smile, but as soon as her mind turned back to the prophecy, her lips forget the process it takes to lift up.

Butch, the Head Counselor of the Iris cabin is looking at the table, perplexed. "What...wait, so this thing with Percy being sick," his eyes turn up to Annabeth, "Is it really _that_ serious."

To Annabeth, it had always been _that serious_ , but she nods anyway. "Yeah, it is."

Clarrise's beady eyes hardened. "Well," she says, "Let's hear it then," she doesn't outright state it, but Annabeth recognizes the Ares-rage saturating her features.

It was no secret that Clarisse and Percy didn't have the best history, but ever since Percy told Annabeth about the time he had helped Clarrise take back Ares's chariot from her immortal "brothers" Phobos and Deimos, she's noticed an improvement in their relationship. While they still weren't exactly _best pals_ , but both knew they could trust each other in battle, and Annabeth knew she could depend on that kind of loyalty.

Despite having repeated it dozens of times to herself already, Annabeth still couldn't hold back the small quiver in her voice.

"Journey to the in which the god's rein; seek out the diety who share's in the blame,"

The place the god's rein, Annabeth deduced, is either the Empire State Building or Mount Olympus, all the way back in Greece, but the part that gave her tunnel vision was the "diety" bit. That meant someone, a god or goddess, did this intentionally. It means, that despite all Percy's done in the war's against Olympus, one of them had specifically hurt him. To be completely honest, Annabeth wanted to believe it was Hera. She wouldn't have put it past the old hag. But something, maybe a cognitive Athena sense, told her that it was something else. Sure Hera had stolen Percy to unite the camps, but curse him with a sickness to water? What purpose did that serve?

"With a mother's safety, you'll find the Island of Rhodus,"

A mother's safety. Hera _is_ the goddess of family and maternity. Annabeth really, _really_ hopes she's not supposed to head to Olympus and ask Hera for help. For Percy, she would gravel at the goddesses feet if need be, but there is no way she could deny the vulgar taste it would leave in her mouth.

Or maybe it was Percy's mom, Sally. Annabeth would willingly grovel at Sally's feet for help, but it still didn't make much sense. What could Sally do to help them find 'the Island of Rhodus"?

Maybe it was Athena.

"Go there to cleanse the evil below us,"

Kronos? Gaia? Tartarus? All below us, but all stopped. What did it mean?

"Learn from the past to deceive the last three, it's the body of two who will set the soul's free."

Body of two. Annabeth's stomach churned. Could it mean Janus, the God of Doorways? She shivered, remembering the time in the Labyrinth when Janus had confronted her, and almost forced her to choose a door that would either lead her and her friends to their destination, or a sudden and very agonizing death. Of course, the choice they were talking about happened to her _later,_ but would if they were back? Would if they wanted her to choose another doorway, only this time it wouldn't her life on the line, but Percy's?

It was quiet in the room. Then Leo gave a low whistle. "Wow...well, that's going to be fun figuring out."

Annabeth scowls to let him know that it didn't help anything, before softening. She couldn't blame him. It was a bit of a mind bender.

"The place where the gods rein," Kate murmurs into her clasped hands. "So, the Empire State Building?"

Annabeth shrugs, "That or Greece."

Leo, Jason, and Piper all scowl. We all have extremely unpleasant memories of that place, mainly centered around a vengeful earth Goddess and her, quite _literally_ , giant army. Going back would bring back bad pieces of nostalgia.

 _'Like Percy's nosebleed ending the world,'_ she thinks to herself, then hides a small smile behind her hand. At the time it hadn't been funny, but now that the danger was passed, it was kind of ironic. Only Percy would doom the world with a nosebleed.

"Annabeth," someone calls, and the smile drops again. Silently, Annabeth objurgates herself for getting distracted and turns to Will. He's fidgeting a little, as if aware that bringing up bad news at a time like this would only doom him to a fate of dangling from the climbing hall by his toes. "Have you picked who you wanted on your quest yet?"

Annabeth blinks, confused about why he was worried about that. "Uh, yeah, I wanted to bring Grover and Nico," Nico looks up from his seat next to Will and raises both eyebrows.

"Me?" he says it as if Annabeth had just agreed to have her eyelids removed with a pair of tweezers.

She nods. "The prophecy mentioned souls, so I thought it'd be best to have someone directly related to it along. I was going to ask if you want to join the quest after the meeting, but I guess now will do. So...would you accompany me on my quest...please?"

Nico folds his arms, lips pursing in thought. He glances up through the shaggy bangs over his forehead, then shrugs, "Yeah, okay...I guess I don't mind." and beside him, Will sighs. Nico stares idly at the wall, but his hand shifts and Annabeth was under the impression that he had taken Will's hand. Will relaxed and Nico's face tinted red.

Annabeth resists the urge to smile again.

But then Will's eyes go back to narrowing with worry. "Um, I know you probably wouldn't want to hear this from me, but - uh, Grover can't go on the quest with you."

Annabeth draws back, feeling as though he had personally slapped her, and then her eyes cut into a worried scowl. There's no way Will would say that unless something bad happened.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"Well," Will rubs the back of his neck. "So...you know how he and Percy share an empathy link?"

It clicks and Annabeth's gaze falls to the table. Of course, Grover's empathy link with Percy. It connects them, allowing each other to be aware of the other's conditions. If Percy was experiencing pain and sickness, Grover was probably getting shadowed by the same afflictions.

"I see," she says, eyes closing with scruple for forgetting such an important piece of information. "How's he doing?"

"Juniper say's he can get up and move around, but too much tires him. She's bringing him in tomorrow to see if there's anything I can do to help."

Annabeth nods, pauses, then nods again. "Okay. I'm sure you'll do you're best." and Will nods back in firm agreement. He _always_ did the best for his patients. If there was any way to palliate the pain, he's the one to figure it out.

Clarisse leans forward on the table, "That means you have to pick someone else," she dully comments. Looking at her, Annabeth detected a hidden gleam. Excitement. They can both remember the days when demigods wanted quests for earn a chance to prove themselves a hero and bring glory to their cabin. But the excitement is repressed and Annabeth knows that Clarisse can't afford to go on the quest. She and Chris were leaving within the next few days when she would officially give up her title as Councilor to her half-brother, Shermen Yang. This very meeting was her last. The excitement of going on one more quest buzzes in her eyes, but one look and Clarrise sadly shakes her head.

She can't go. Annabeth gives her an understanding nod and turns the opposite direction.

"Piper, will you come along?"

Piper sits up straight in her chair, face pulling into surprise. "You - you want me on your quest?" she gapes.

"Of course. I mean, if you want to join, that is."

Piper's grin is wide, then humbles down. "Yes, yes of course."

"Then it's settled," Annabeth turns to Chiron this time, "Nico, Piper, and I will go on the quest. But, while I'm gone I need everyone on high alert." Eyes widen and quirk, so she continues, "Something did this to Percy, and I have a feeling it hasn't left yet. We don't need patrols, I just need people to keep an eye on things, _especially_ on Percy. He cannot come in contact with any water."

Chiron's lands a reassuring hand on her shoulder this time, "We'll do our best, child."

Annabeth feels more of her strength return with his confidence. She looks over at Nico and Piper, then nods toward the door. "Come on, we need to discuss some things." The rest of the council takes that as their cue leave and the meeting is unofficially dismissed.

Piper joins her with Jason at her side, while Nico silently walks Will to the door. The two boys exchanged a few words, Will leaves a quick kiss on Nico's cheek, before Nico finds his way to the group, making it a point not to meet their eyes. Chiron is the last to leave, and as soon as the thud of his hooves disappears up the stairs, they're the only ones left.

"So, what's the plan?" Piper asks, sitting back on the ping-pong table. Annabeth doesn't answer right away, as she runs the meeting through her head again. Satisfied with how it went, she glances at her new group. While she's still disappointed Grover couldn't come along, she was happy that it was Piper who substituted.

"Not here," she finally says. "I wasn't kidding about the culprit still hanging around, and whoever, or whatever it is, I don't want to tip them any information." Nico and Piper both agree, then all three stare at Jason, who stands there awkwardly and coughs into his fist.

"Well, I think I'm going to go catch up with Leo," he decides, "He, Calypso, are I are going to go tool shopping...yay..." granted, Jason _tried_ to make it sound exciting, but his tone falls flat and he grimaces. Still, he waves them off, "Good luck on the quest. If you need guys anything, and I mean _anything_ , I'll be looking at wrenches and screws."

Piper waves back but rolls her eyes with a fond smile when he blows her a small kiss, before disappearing up the stairs too. Doing a 180-twirl of the room, Annabeth decides she doesn't want to talk a plan here.

"The Big House is probably the most secure places to talk," she says, "But we'll talk upstairs,"

They don't complain, and she's thankful. Instead, they follow her wordlessly up the stairs and down the hall, finding one room in particular. Inside, Percy is laying in a miserable heap under the blanket. When he hears the door though, the blanket pulls down and he's peering over the top. He looks frailer, she notices.

Quietly, Annabeth closes the door and finds a spot at the end of the bed. For a minute, Percy's eyes are still fixated on the door, then he blinks, turns to her, and grins. "Wisegirl," he spots Piper and Nico, "Hey guys. Nic-" a cough tears past his throat, shredding the words, so he had to reconstruct them all over again. "Hey, guys. Nico, Piper, how's it going."

"Good," Piper tells him, and scoots a chair by the bed, "How are _you_ doing?" For a second Nico hovers, then gingerly sits cross-legged on the floor.

"Why are we up here?" he asked, and at seeing Percy's hurt-seal look, he adds, "Not that we're not happy to see you, Percy. I thought we were gonna talk about the quest."

"We are," Annabeth says, "But since this is about Percy, I figured he might as well be here. Besides, he might've remembered something I haven't since, you know," she waves flustered at her head as if that was the only explanation for their hijacked memories, "our memories are kind of faulty." In consequence, she turned to him with a hopeful look.

Instead, Percy sighs and weakly taps his head, "Nope, nothing yet." he pauses, drawing back a little and his nose crinkles as if smelling something nasty. "Wait? Quest? There's a new quest?"

Annabeth recounts the prophecy for him. When she finishes, Percy leans farther back into his sweat-stained pillow with a groan, as if the news physically upset his health. " _Another_ one?" he gripes. " _Seriously?_ "

"Yeah," Annabeth grumbles with him. "But, hey, don't worry about it. You get to sit this one out."

Percy scowls at that. Suddenly the blankets seemed uncomfortable and he shifts, folding his arms. "I'd rather not sit it out though," he mutters.

Nico blanches, "Well if you really think you can trek up to the Empire State Building and answer to a diety _without_ fainting or collapsing into a pile of sickness, then, _by all means_ , you can take my place."

"Tempting," Percy chuckles seriocomically, " _Very t_ empting actually."

"Percy," Annabeth warns, "You are _not_ coming. You can hardly eat a cracker, so how do you expect to do a quest?" his lips purse and his folded arms tighten, but doesn't offer an answer. Judging by the beads of sweat popping on his temple, Annabeth guesses that even this conversation was taking a lot out of him.

They'll have to make it quick. Annabeth didn't want to make him worse. She fixed her position on the bed to get more comfortable without taking too much of Percy's space.

"So," she starts, "I figured we'd go out to the Empire State Building first, since that's the closest placed 'the gods rein', and if that doesn't work out, I'll ask Chiron if we can get something worked out so we can head to Greece."

If possible, that news seemed to upset Percy more. "All the way to Greece?" he bemoans, rubbing his forehead.

Piper's lips quirk up. "You make it sound like you're the one who's going halfway around the world."

"A part of me will be," he admits, then looks at Annabeth with wide, yearning eyes. Heat rushes to Annabeth's cheek and she ducks her head by instinct.

"Honestly, Percy," she mutters, "You're such a sap."

Percy gives her back a shist-eating grin, the smile finally reaches his eyes. "Then why are you smiling."

"Because maybe I like it when you're a sap," she challenges.

On the floor, Nico groans and folds his arms. "I swear, you two are the most disgusting people I know."

 _Oh, the hypocrisy,_ Annabeth thinks, and smirks, " _Right_ , because I totally didn't notice you and Will holding hands under the table. You two are just as sappy as us." she squints, "In fact, I bet _you're_ the sappiest."

She doesn't think Nico's face ever went red so quickly. He looks away by feigning a hard cough in his fist, but only blushes harder when Percy "aww's" from the bed.

"That so cute," he gushes, probably going for something with more energy, but it came out as more of an amusing thought. His eyelids are sagging and Annabeth knows they wouldn't have him awake much longer. Will will have her head if she keeps him from his rekindling rest much longer.

"Anyway," she says to get them back on track, "we need to get a move on. We have a lot of planning to do. I wanted to do it in here, but we shouldn't keep Percy up. I just wanted to come and check on ya," she aims this part at Percy, "but Will will flail me alive if I keep you up too long," she kisses his forehead. "I'll drop by and see you tonight,"

Percy's head was already on the pillow and he chuckles softly into the case, "Will will," he muses, then his eyes snap open and he scowls, "Wait...you can plan in here. I'll be fine,"

"Come on Percy, don't play tough." Annabeth sighs. "You need to go to sleep."

"I do not," he insists, and decides that sitting up is the obvious proof to go by, but Annabeth gently nudges him back down when his face takes on a darker tinge of green. "Come on, I want to be here for it. Besides, you SAID this quest involves me, right?"

"He's got a point," Nico comments with his head in his hands.

It's a bad idea. But, she also knew it'd be a worse idea to say no. Percy's definitely taken on the qualities of Poseidon, and sometimes it was irritating how stubborn he could be. He'd probably bungle after them if they tried to plan somewhere else anyway.

"Fine," she concedes, "We'll do it here. But if you so much as yawn, we're out of here so you can sleep," She wants to be a little irritated because _pushing your health aside is not good, damn it,_ but when he grins, somehow that makes it all worth it.

But before they start, Annabeth has Piper close the curtains and she locks the door herself. "If you sense anything off Nico, anything at all, tell me right away," she tells Nico.

"Why?" he said.

"Because, whatever did this could still be out here and I know you're pretty good at detecting things that don't feel right, so just, please, if something feels off tell me. I don't want our plans leaking." Nico agreed with a shrug and their little meeting began.

Most of it consisted of plans of where to go if the Empire State Building wasn't the place, and then if it WAS, what they were going to do from that point. Chiron would have the money and transportation settled by tomorrow morning, so they didn't need to worry about that, but what they'd be looking for in Greece would be trouble.

Percy tried to stay as involved as he could, but not even halfway through it his eyes pressed with weariness and Annabeth could see him slowly sinking under. They barely come up with a Plan C before he's out cold and lightly drooling on the blanket.

To be honest, Annabeth is little relieved. He was a little more relaxed in sleep, and definitely not in as much pain. Shadows of discomfort still twitch here and there, but overall, his face was free of agony. If the quests went well, then that's how it will end for him too. Free of pain where he could go back to being his healthy self. Even as he sleeps, they continued planning until the conch horn's call comes billowing through the window, loud in the winter air, but hardly enough to arouse Percy from his slumber. Annabeth beckons the other two to go eat dinner - they were going to need it and no, it's okay, she'll find some dinner later, yes, she's sure, she just wants to check on Percy first.

They leave as she sits on the edge of the bed, and for a minute that's all she did. Staring at people in their sleep isn't a hobby, and maybe, under different circumstances, it might've even been a little creepy. But she can't help it. Every time she see's him, sick and pale on the bed, it all seems so wrong in contrast to the boy she knows, that all she CAN do is stare. Observation is how most problems were fixed. If she watches it long enough, maybe she can pry into the heart of the problem itself, decipher a few things, and figure out how to make her Percy feel better. Unfortunately, that's not exactly how it worked, and if anyone happened to walk into the room just now, they'd be under the impression that Annabeth watches sickly people in their sleep.

After minutes of heartache and unsuccessfully figuring out a solution, she leans forward and lays another gentle kiss to his forehead. It was small, but it's all she could give him.

"I'll fix this Percy," she promises, rubbing his knuckles with ghost-like touches so she didn't irritate the skin. Staring at the crack lines of his hands, a sudden whip of emotion cracked the air and she held his hand just a little tighter. Maybe it was determination, or maybe she just inherited a whole lot of stupid, but when the next words came out of her mouth she didn't regret them, "I promise on the River Styx, I WILL fix this," Thunder booms despite the lack of clouds, and vaguely she wondered if anyone who happened to be paying attention could hear it, or if it was just for the ears of the oath-maker.

She left the room sparing one last glance over her shoulder, before heading out of the Big House and towards the Pavilion. She doesn't have much of an appetite, but she figures she'd snag of roll or two and head off to her cabin to get a head start on the packing.

Outside, the sky was clear and the air frigid, and was enough to sharpen the lines of her senses till they gleamed like the fine edges of a sharpened axe, but it wasn't quite enough to shock away the Percy's raspy breathing pattern and his unhealthy skin-tone. But that was okay - she didn't want to forget. She has to use _something_ for motivation.

_ **LINE** **BREAK** _

 _Last nights dream repeats._

 _Once again, Annabeth finds herself on a Shangri-la beach. The sand is warm and soft, and the water winking with the promise of fun. Percy is back by the water too. But this time Annabeth knew the truth. This was no paradise, it was a trap, and she wastes no time yelling a warning and sprints for him. The ocean picks it up with a crashing laugh and reveals its true self. The water swells, drawing up from the sandy bed as it begins to blacken. Annabeth barely manages to grab Percy's arm before the wave is on top of them. This time she gets to watch him deteriorate in her arms, then the husk is swept away._

 _The ocean guffaws and gloates as she is retrapped within its hold and writhing for air. The voices surround her, spitting acidic words that taint the very water. When she thinks she can't hold on any longer, her mouth ready to burst open for the air that water didn't supply, a sudden ripple of energy zips through the water and the laughter is shifted into with animalistic snarling._

 _Suddenly, Annabeth can breathe again. The black water around her tingles against her skin, like the Seabreeze facewash. It's a raw feeling but in a pleasant way. It makes her feel clean. The voices, however, are extremely unhappy and she can feel them prowling through the water like irritated dogs._

 _"Leave!" a voice booms and all the dark water begins retreating, and suddenly Annabeth can see. She watches the black water recede into the far depths of the ocean, wailing and cursing like a kid sentenced to an early bedtime, before it was gone._

 _"Sorry about that," a weary voice apologizes, and Annabeth whirls around. Or, she tries to whirl around, but it's hard to turn in water. But, when she finally turns, she realizes she is no longer suspended in a vast plain of ocean. Now, she stood in a throne roo_ m, one, she figured from all the coral and water and sea life, _was Poseidon's kingdom. She's never been there, personally, but she guessed it was the Throne room by the throne Poseidon himself was occupying at the front._

 _"Poseidon," she greets, slightly surprised, and bows. He did just save her from "drowning" again, so she figures_ some _manners were in order._

 _"Rise," he waves listlessly, without even looking, and she does. He looks weary and tired, she observes. His trident isn't on the floor this time and was instead propped up against the throne. Poseidon himself was slumped in the seat, limbs thrown out in the most ungodly fashion that it almost made Annabeth feel awkward. Poseidon's never been one of the gods who like to sit straight with shoulder's back to give off an aura of superiority, but there had STILL been dignity in his demeanor. Now...now he just looks tired...and worried._

 _He rubs his head with both hands and then glances at her. He free_ zes, _as if just remembering why she was here, then straightens up, if just a little. "Percy," he is the first thing he says. "How is he?"_

 _"Umm, sick," Annabeth replies and looks down. "And getting worse."_

 _Poseidon grimaces. He sits up this time and leans forward in the throne, head falling into his hands. "Arg, I should have seen this coming," he mutters with brittle mea culpa. "The signs were all there, why didn't I_ realize _,"_

 _Annabeth takes a moment to assess if she is crossing any lines, then asks, "Should have seen that coming..." pauses with thought, then adds out of courtesy, "Lord Poseidon,"_

 _"The curse," Poseidon stresses as if she should already know what he's talking about, which, of course, she didn't. Unfortunately, gods have this irritating habit of withholding useful information from half-bloods, but Annabeth supposed it's also the Fate's doing. Those three hags make it a point to give demigods as little information as possible._

 _"What curse," Annabeth tries, "I mean, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that this curse is the reason for Percy's sickness, yes?"_

 _He nods._

 _Annabeth waited._

 _Then, "Do you...want to_ elaborate, _"_

 _He straightens back up as if just realizing that, oh, that's right, she didn't have a clue about what he was talking about._

 _"A curse upon my children, cast centuries ago." he tries to explain, but he grapples for the right words. "Years ago. It was years ago, and-" he pauses, then cursed. "Agh, I was too slow here too. Di immortals, you're waking! Okay, child, listen to me," Poseidon leans forward in his throne, hands out as if he was about to trust her to the most crucial information she was ever going to hear. "The deity you're looking for is Hestia. She'll be on Olympus tomorrow but will leave just after dusk. Catch her before she leaves and -" suddenly he doubled over, holding his head with a strained gasp. Annabeth lurches forward to help, then withdraws. This was beyond her, she felt. She imagined it was the Fates stopping him from giving her too much help because they have some sort of stigma against it._

Bad Poseidon, _they were probably saying._ Stop helping the little godlings!

 _The edges of the throne room begin to blur, and Annabeth is pretty sure that means she's waking up. Though, to be honest, she isn't quite sure. It's been a while since she's woken up without a nightmare - or a complete one at least - and it's definitely the first time it was slow enough to see the dream dissipating before her eyes._

 _"Tell her that Poseidon sent you," Poseidon gasps, still clutching his head. "Tell her...tell her that it's time she fixed her mistake. Give her...this..." the water swirls and a dagger materializes from it. The hilt is made of smoothed coral and it's blade a milky white that suggested pearl. The handle was decorated with a variety of water-smoothed jewels, some of which she's never seen before, that glowed an elegant alge green. Judging by its fancy and elegant craft, Annabeth instantly determines that it wasn't a fighting weapon. It was something pretty to look at, simply decorative._

 _The walls are fading faster and Annabeth feels a twinge of irritation. Curse you fates! Just as she was starting to get some legitimate information, they had ruined everything. She needed more to grow on. Poseidon could help._

 _But she also knows it was no use. The Fates_ always _had their way._

 _Instead, she bows. When she straightens, they meet eyes and Annabeth knows he's hurting just as much as her. "Thank you, M'lord," she says. "I'm gonna save him. I promise."_

 _Poseidon manages to smile past his pain. It's small and pitiful but full of gratitude, something Annabeth wasn't used to seeing on a god._

 _The walls disappear and Annabeth feels herself getting pulled away. She leaves seeing the image of Poseidon hunched in his throne, wrestling with the pain in his head, but dealing with the more intense internal pain that could only be detected through the eyes._

Annabeth wakes up with the dagger in her hand.

_ **LINE BREAK** _

She fills Piper and Nico in about her dream the next day over an early breakfast, shows them the dagger, and then after them, Chiron, whome expresses his worry by getting the old look of solemn worry Annabeth's grown used to.

He takes the decorative weapon in his hands, holding it gingerly between his fingers as if afraid it would combust in his face."This is the dagger to Lord Poseidon's royal family." he tells her, low in appreciation. "Passed down to his heir and first born. This must mean a great deal to him if he gave it to you."

He places it back in her hand and Annabeth runs a finger over the pearl blade. "Yeah..." she sounds like she was being strangled by her own voicebox, "he sounded pretty worried."

Chiron's tail flicks. "Annabeth..." he starts, then drops it tentatively. His legs skitter and paw the ground. "Just...just come back home, okay?"

Her heart warms. "Chiron, nothing will stop me from coming back,"

His smile was tight like it was nothing but a promise he's all heard before. Annabeth wouldn't be surprised if it was. Even so, they ignore the moment of tension, and Annabeth embraces him. His hug was tight, enough to squeeze her ribs, but warm and she digs into it just a little deeper.

When they release, Chiron's eyes are a watery. "Be sure to visit Percy before you leave," he sniffs. "He's been asking about you all morning. Been driving Dionysus crazy, in his term of words of course,"

"I will," she says. RIght now, in fact. Piper and Nico are busy loading their things into the van, something that Annabeth already covered before the sun was even up. She had 10 minutes to visit Percy then it was off to the city. With a final wave to Chiron, Annabeth jogs down the hills, which then shifts to a sprint.

Mr. D is on the porch sipping his early-morning Coke. "Finally," he grouches as Annabeth jumps past the steps. "Finally here to shut him up? He's been whining and complaining all morning. Honestly, how do you even manage to be around him for so long?"

"Oh, I'm sure Chiron says the same about you," Annabeth says, and pretends not to hear him when he shouted, "What'd ya say?" as she disappears inside.

Percy is staring out the window near the bed when she gets up there. His eyes are pinned to the loading van with slumping shoulders, and when he turns to her, its painfully clear just how much he wants to be down there too.

"Hey," she greets with a smile anyway, because it'll be harder on both of them if they're both sad. "How are you feeling?"

He shrugs with a wince, "A little better," he says, but judging by the untouched packet of crackers and the dry cup of, what had undoubtedly been nectar, Annabeth know's he is putting on a brave face for her sake. But it's a gesture she appreciates just as much as she wishes he'd take it easy on himself.

She sits next to him and takes his hand. "I'll try and get back as soon as possible,"

His hand squeezes her fingers, but its lack of much strength. "You..." he starts, but the word seems to stick and he picks at the blanket instead. Annabeth waits because sometimes it just takes him some time to pull the words back together. "You come back to me," he says, tracing a line of threads at the blanket hem. "Okay? I...I - if you don't..." his fingers are suddenly strangling the blanket and his head shakes and he bursts, "I should be going with you!" and for a second the hard shell that made up Percy Jackson was back. Then it cracked and crumbled, and he looked ready to hurl.

Annabeth grabbed the trashcan next to the bed, just in case.

"Hey," she soothes, freeing the suffocating blanket from his death grip. "I'll be okay. I'll be back."

"I - I know you can do this," he whispers hoarsely, "I know you can, but...but we're a team. We're a team Annabeth, and we're supposed to have each other's back, and..." his eyes are watering this time, and Annabeth softly grabs his shoulders and pulls him into an embrace. He grabs her shirt, tightly, as if that is enough to make her stay.

They stay that way for several minutes. Outside, Nico and Piper are almost done loading into the van and Argus is heading for the Big House, coming for her, she supposed. Their time was almost up. Instead of focusing on that though, Annabeth leans deeper into the embrace and, if it were possible, Percy does the same.

When she finds her voice again, she is surprised with how choked it was. "I promise you, Percy, I will be back, okay? Nothing is going to stop me."

He's silent, then nods into her shoulder.

She dreads the next words, "I have to go now,"

Percy hold tightens, and for a moment Annabeth is worried he won't let go. Then, he softens and his arms relinquish their grip. His eyes ae still watery, but there's a hardness in them. He smiles at her, it's strained but peaked with the goofy lop-sided grin she's grown to love.

"Go get em Wisegirl," he says. "

She smiles back, just as strained, "Be here when I get back Seaweed Brain,"

He manages to bark out a weak laugh. Maybe not bark out, as it was more of a small yip. "They'll have to drag me away kicking and fighting,"

They don't discuss who "they" is. Instead, they lean in. His lips are cracked and dry, but Annabeth loves the kiss anyway. It's soft, yet she could sense a bit of yearning behind it, from both of them. Annabeth doesn't think his sickness is contagious, but even if it was, she thinks she'd have done it anyway.

She can hear Argus coming up the stairs.

They separate.

It's one last glance. There are no words, but enough is conveyed between them. Annabeth squeezes his hand one last time, then she opens the door just as Argus is about to knock.

"Let's go," she says, and he nods. Percy waves to him. Argus waves back. Then they're gone.

It's when she's sitting in the front seat and strapping her seatbelt in that she realizes this will be the first quest she and Percy weren't taking together. It hurts, and more than ever she wishes she could bust open the door and spend another day just hanging out with him. But Argus is already driving down the road and it's too late.

In the backseat, Piper asked, "Did you see Percy?"

Annabeth nods wordlessly and the topic is dropped. She's happy both Piper and Nico know when a conversation isn't needed. She appreciates the silence.

Through the rearview mirrors, she stares at the Big House and is positive she can see Percy through the window, staring back. Then they turn a bend and it's lost behind a wall of trees.

Annabeth imagines she can see it anyway.

 **Wow, my OTP hurts me. Ouchie.**

 **Anyway, as I ALWAYS say, I am sorry about the long wait. It sucks, I know. I feel bad. But, there's a chance time will be on my said, idk, we'll have to wait and see.**

 **But, thank you to ALL the amazing people who have commented and voted on this story! It's truly amazing and I appreciate every single one of you! Also, I LOVE hearing your theories about the story - I won't give spoilers, but I do enjoy hearing your thoughts.**

 **Just as a real quick reminder, I have posted a new story called "The Percabeth Trials: The Hidden Hero" which is basically the "Trials of Apollo" in the point of view of Annabeth and Percy with a MAJOR rewrite. Like, I'm talking full-on AU rewrite almost. Things happened, let me tell you. To be honest, it's slightly like a Percy Jackson/Deadpool Au thing - only, still kind of not. I can't explain it without getting into plot points, but if you're interested, I already have two chapters posted, so go check it out.**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed THIS chapter - I have bubbling ideas that I'm excited to incorporate. Until next time my peeps!**

 **-BFA**


	14. Chapter 13

_~Annabeth POV~_

Argus drove them as far as the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, which officially left behind the warmer breezes and dry hills of Camp Half-Blood. Outside, shriller winter winds blew snowflakes through the air, and the bus rode along the icy, frozen road leading up to the station. With all the fuss that she's been through the last few days, Annabeth almost forgot that the outside world was still in a winter slumber.

They drove smoothly into the parking lot, after which Argus got out briefly to retrieve their measly bags from the back of the van, as some sort of kind gesture for their journey to come. He offered a hearty thumbs up as they readjusted their coats and shouldered their backpacks. The cold was already beginning to seep through the folds of Annabeth's slim winter coat, and judging by the grimaces from Piper, she'd say her comrade was feeling it too. Nico didn't look _as_ uncomfortable, but Annabeth figured that's what happened when one spent most of their time in the Underworld. But, at least _one_ member of the team was faring well. They bid Argus a quick good-bye and shimmied over to the quaint building standing soundly nearby.

Before she got too far though, Argus grabbed Annabeth's wrist and pulled her back slightly, eyes softening almost apologetically when she turned back to him in question. But there was something else in his eyes, a wide, almost earning look that had Annabeth gesturing to Nico and Piper to get the tickets without her. They shrugged, told her to hurry, and moved on quickly.

Watching them go, Argus sighed and let go of Annabeth's wrist, shoulders dropping. His many eyes found Annabeth's, which was intimidating in its own odd way, despite his look being far from aggressive. His eyes were wide and sad in a way that Annabeth wasn't used to. She was even more surprised, however, when he gingerly pulled her into a small hug. Annabeth tried to staunch her shock by softly hugging back. Now, this definitely wasn't a usual occurrence. Argus tended to avoid contact like the plague due to his eye condition, and a poked eye of his magnitude was nothing to sneeze at. Yet, when he pulled back he was smiling. He gently rustled her hair with his fingers, and despite not being able to talk because of the eye on his tongue, with stiff movement from his jaw he mouthed: _Good luck._

For whatever reason, Annabeth really appreciated that. Argus, while silent and mysterious, has always been there for her and the camp throughout the years, whether it was guarding Camp Half-Blood, shipping out strawberries, defending and nourishing injured demigods, or driving them out on quests. In a way, he was kind of like the silent, protective big brother to them all, Annabeth wondered if any of them had ever stopped to give him the time of day. Maybe it was time to makes amends for that.

" _Thank you,_ Argus," she tells him, trying to convey her appreciation by squeezing his shoulders, soft enough to avoid hurting him. "For everything."

He nodded, and Annabeth thinks he understands, and he shoos her to the ticket booth, gesturing to his wrist where a clock would usually tick. Swinging her backpack over her shoulders, Annabeth offered a final wave and ran over to join Piper and Nico at the station. By the time they're handing Annabeth her ticket, the van is already disappearing up the road.

"What was that about?" Piper asked, glancing at the retreating vehicle as she dropped the bag of money into her bag. Roughly $100 in cash and several drachmas from Chiron to aid them on their quest.

"Just wishing us luck is all," Annabeth answered, watching as the van rose and fell behind the hill. A pang of want hits her chest, coming on so unexpectedly that Annabeth has to distract herself by looking over the bus ticket. It seemed like she was just got to Camp and now she was already leaving. A quest wasn't what she imagined she'd be doing on her winter vacation.

"Well, considering this is a quest, we're probably gonna need all the luck we can get," Nico comments, glaring at the rickety looking bus that wobbled up to the station. "Jeez, _that's_ our ride."

Annabeth gave it a quick once-over and understood Nico's criticism. That bus looked like it should be on its death-bed. She glanced at the fading numbers above the windshield, and pursed her lips, looking back at the bus number on her ticket. "Yeah, looks like it. _Di immortals_ , is that the same one Percy and I rode on our first quest? Yikes."

"Great," Nico grumbled, shouldering his backpack. "Fine, let's go. The longer we wait, the longer we have to actually _be_ on it." They walked toward the dying vehicle together, merging in seamlessly with the small crowd hitching a ride with them.,

"Wow, I never thought Will had the power to make you an optimist," Piper deadpans.

"For you're information," Nico drawls after her, handing his ticket to the bus driver, "I've always been an optimist. Just a realistic optimist."

"Hold up," Annabeth griped playfully, "That's my job."

They found an empty seat toward the back, close enough to the emergency exit that they had a quick escape if it came down to that. Annabeth climbed in first, claiming the window, Piper the middle, and Nico at the end. Piper settled her backpack on the floor and took her water out, smacking her lips dryly. It was a fancy plastic water bottle with the words: _T. McLean_ written in gold cursive on the side, which completely destroyed and annihilated Annabeth's eyes when she tried to decipher it. Piper sipped the top, unaware of the anguish her bottle did to Annabeth's brain, and eyed Nico with a teasing smile.

"Sooo," she said, innocently swishing the water around inside, "if rickety old buses aren't the type of thing for children of the Underworld, then what is?"

Nico rolled his eyes, though he didn't look offended, and tilted his head in thought. Curious, Annabeth blinked the spaghetti-like remnants of mortal cursive from her eyes. She hasn't talked much to Nico since going to college. This seemed like as good an opportunity as any to get some conversation in. After a moment of deep thinking, a soft, almost sheepish look crossed Nico's face and he rubbed his neck, suddenly bashful.

"Well, um...I - my- my chauffer usually drives me around in the limousine," he admits, biting his lip as if revealing that he had a limousine somehow made him incompetent.

Piper nearly spit up her water. "You have a chauffeur and a limousine?" she parrots, sprouting a grin. "Dude, _me too._ "

Nico blinks, before scoffing like he should've _known,_ and smiles back, almost relieved. "Oh yeah, should've guessed. What's you're chauffeur like? Mines an old British military artillery driver from 1818. You'd think he'd have stories to share, but he's terrible at conversation," a haunting look crossed his face, "Whenever he _does_ talk he sounds like he's going to tell me to drop down and give him twenty."

Piper stares, jaw-slacking a tad. "Oh - oh, cool...my driver's name is Roger."

 _Oh, rich folk,_ Annabeth laughs to herself, hiding her smile in the window. Despite being unable to relate, she's glad they found something in common to talk about. Aphrodite and Hades were about as opposite as it could get, so she was happy things weren't starting out awkward. She, personally, has never been one to really initiate conversation, and whenever she tried it usually came out boring and lecture-y. At least that's what Malcolm told her when she asked him to give it to her straight, after noticing how glazy-eyed and tired people get around her. Honestly, Percy was the one who normally started conversation. He also happened to be the one who kept it running. There were times when he could talk for hours and hours about his marine biology classes without any promptings from Annabeth. It was cute and endearing, and brainy-Percy has become the source of her entertainment on trips and long, tedious study nights.

"So, Annabeth," Piper turns to her this time. She sips at her water, eyes narrowed as if trying to pry into her brain. But Annabeth can tell its all fun and games when Piper hides her smile in the lid of her bottle. "How about you?"

Annabeth blinks, confused about the question for half a second. "Oh, what do I ride in? Uh..." she gestured belittlingly toward the vehicle they resided in, "rickety old buses for this girl, I guess. I mean, what's a little tetanus, right."

Nico chuckles and mutters "Oh, I know a few tetanus deaths that would disagree," and Piper laughs before taking a final sip from her water, and puts it back in her backpack.

"So, do you really think the prophecy is talking about Olympus, as in the Empire State Building Olympus?" Piper inquires, leaning back in the seat.

"I think so. Or, well, I hope so. Poseidon specifically said to find Hestia on Olympus, so what else could it be. Besides, I definitely don't want to take another trip to Greece any time soon." Annabeth said.

Piper and Nico echoed in agreement.

"I guess we'll just have to see what Hestia has to offer," Annabeth continued. Her gaze slipped and stared down at her bag, fingers tingling unpleasantly. The prize harbored inside seemed to tease her beckoningly, and after a moment's hesitation, she unzipped it and bringing out Poseidon's royal dagger. Taking it from its smoothed coral sheath, she turned its pearl blade over in her hand and ran her fingers down the aqueous hilt that shimmered like sun rays caught on a water's surface. She wondered if there was real water inside. The jewels decorating its curvy handles sparkled in the little rays peaking behind snow clouds, sending opalescent dots of light onto her palm.

Nico was watching it too, though his face was pinched and wary. "I don't even know how you can hold that," he says, scooting away.

Annabeth looks up from its sparkling brilliance. "What do you mean?"

"Can you not feel that?" Nico demanded, and his eyebrows scrunch at the confused look she shoots him.

"That thing is practically radiating energy," he answered, enunciating it as if that would make her understand, "Like, _a lot._ It feels weird," he stared at it again and added, "...and unsettling. I feel like its gonna attack me."

Annabeth looks back down at it, trying to find malice in the milky gleam of its blade. She couldn't even find a drop. "Really? I don't feel _anything_ ," she rolled it around in her hand a few times, as if the problem was in the angle. But there was no difference. It felt like any other dagger she's held.

Piper hummed, though her fingers were nervous in her lap, "I can feel it too. Nico's right, I feel like it's gonna walk over and gut," she paused, blinked, and scooted away as if the thought just occurred to her. "Maybe you can't feel it because Poseidon gave it to you."

That's not far-fetched. This was Poseidon's _royal_ family dagger they were talking about. Meant to be passed down through the oceans royal family. Maybe it just wasn't meant to go beyond the ocean. It's pearl blade and aqueous gems certainly didn't look like they belonged in a place above the water. More like it should be in a sunken ship at the bottom of the sea, locked away in a pirate chest.

Or maybe the fact that Poseidon _gave_ it to her protected her from its warding energy.

All these explanations scrambled through her head, but Annabeth ended on a shrug and resheathed the dagger. "I think you're right. But if it's giving off as much energy as Nico says, then it wouldn't be smart to have it out." She returned it to the pocket on her bag. Nico and Piper instantly relaxed.

Piper licked her lips again and reached for her bottle. "Gosh," she muttered, opening the cap. "I didn't even know it was _possible_ to get dehydrated in the winter?" She took another swig, and her eyes went wide. The water sprayed from her mouth as she clamped over it in shock.

"Gah," she gagged, words muffled by her hand, glaring down at the bottle in betrayal, "why the _Hades_ is this thing so hot?"

Annabeth froze, eyes narrowing. She took the bottle from Piper's hand and gingerly trickled a few drops on her palm. It _was_ hot. Well, not _boiling_ hot, but warm enough to spark a little shock. Which was weird. Annabeth's seen these types of bottles before, a few times in her dad's workspace even. They were designed to keep water cold for long amounts of time, like a small, portable cooler.

"Maybe you put it on something hot?" Nico asked, watching Annabeth's eyes pinched in thought. Which was a possible explanation, but it still didn't explain why the water in a fancy bottle like this tasted as if it'd been left out in the hot sun for hours. If Piper _did_ place it on something hot, then the bottle itself would've been warmed, not the liquid inside. In fact, Annabeth ran her fingers along the bottom and sides of the bottle, the bottle itself was barely warm.

"I don't think I did," Piper disagreed, looking between her feet for a possible culprit. When none fit the bill, she huffed and pulled her backpack up on her lap as if that would save it from any other crime. "Whatever, it's just water. Maybe this one was just defective. My dad has a ton of these bottles, I'll just get another one."

Annabeth eyed the bottle but gave it back. "I don't know Pipes," there's been a lot of strange things happening with water lately. Besides, it's the middle of winter and they weren't near one of the buses heaters. There was nothing odd about the bottle. No cracks, no dents. It looked perfectly normal, which didn't sit right with her. She's already been caught off guard by Percy's illness, and she wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.

 _Or_ , an unhelpful thought suggested, _maybe I'm was just needlessly obsessing over a piece of junk._

Or maybe there was something else going on.

Before she could dive into any further speculation, the bus jolted and the driver up front cursed. "Just a few hiccups, folks," he assured his passengers as the engine coughed, "I'm sure it's nothing." As if to prove him wrong, black smoke started leaking under the bus.

 _Yeah right,_ Annabeth though, reaching slightly for the small blanket she had wrapped her sword and sheath in. She didn't bring it out just yet though. Mortals tended to freak out when demigods pulled out weapons, whether it looks like a gun, a bat, or a slightly used golf-club. The Mist was weird that way. What it disguised their weapons as though, she couldn't start a panic now. Not when she didn't know who the enemy was.

Piper and Nico must've been on the same page, as their fingers inched toward their own blankets and bags, but didn't grab their weapons.

"Get ready," Annabeth whispered, searching for a culprit among their fellow passengers.

The bus veered to the side of the road, coming to a long, sputtering stop. The driver cursed again, then apologized, and asked for everyone to get off. People murmured, but they all obeyed and quickly filed onto the roadside. Out of all of them, Annabeth and her crew were the only ones who seemed more than mildly on edge. They got up and followed the group out anyway.

Annabeth was surprised though when nothing happened. They joined the meandering crowd with no hitches, taking root near the edge, and stayed that way as the driver hobbled down the steps to take a look at the bus's gears. Surveying the crowd again, nothing seemed out of place still.

"Nico, do you sense anything," Annabeth asked quietly, because coincidences didn't just _happen_ to demigods.

Nico paused, as if deep in thought, then a peculiar look crossed his face. Annabeth was positive she already didn't like the news he was about to give.

"Something seems... _off._ But I'm not sure what it is" He said, fingers inching toward the hilt barely peeping out of the blanket he clutched. If whatever it was could set Nico on edge, then it _had_ to be dangerous.

She surveyed the crowd again. _Nothing_ stood out. There was a couple standing side by side, worriedly holding hands, an elderly woman sifting through her bag, a few gangster looking guys drawing on themselves with a marker, but no legitimate threats.

"I don't see an-" Annabeth started, but her words fell flat as a darkly clothed figure came into view. Now he definitely hadn't been there a second ago. A moist wind swept over the group, carrying with it the wet scent of algae. The figure parallel to her stayed put under her gaze. It was a guy if the body figure was anything to go by. His hands were stuffed in the pocket of his hoodie - a hoodie that was soaked clear through and sagging on his limbs, dripping half-frozen droplets of water into the snow. Beneath the hood dangling over his face, Annabeth could see a white-toothed grin.

"Guys-" No sooner had she gotten that out, did Piper yelp and jump back, throwing her water bottle on the ground. The snow around it hissed and it melted as steam rose out from the opened top. Piper hissed, a mixture of irritation and pain, holding her burned hand in surprise. Annabeth looked back, and the black-hooded man was gone.

It was at that moment that all her alarms bells started ringing full-force. She reached into the blanket and pulled out her sword, provoking the same from Nico and Piper, catching the surprised of the couple nearby.

"What happened?" Nico asked, turning so they were in a back-to-back triangle. Gliding snowflakes danced around his obsidian blade, but never touched, as if the sword was a magnet repelling something so pure away.

Piper flexed her red fingers a few times, but muttered, "I don't know. I was just holding my water bottle and it got really hot."

"There was a person in the crowd," Annabeth informed them, searching for him again, "watching us. Black hoodie, soaked in water. He-" she frowned, feeling the niggle of a thought, "he seemed kind of familiar."

"Well, where ever he is we can't see him now," Nico said, shoulders tensed and legs boxed. The couple near them backed away, looking puzzled, and Annabeth wondered what they were seeing right now. The Mist could get creative.

The wind blew again, and Annabeth caught the algae scent again. "He's not gone," she warned, and not a second later, Piper screamed as she was suddenly thrown into the crowd, landing on the small group of wannabe gangsters. The rest of the crowd gasped and screamed, stumbling away. Annabeth whirled around, poising her blade at the figure behind her. Nico stood opposite of her, doing the same.

The hoodied-guy didn't even flinch. He grinned under the hood, chin pale, slimy-looking, and bloated, but silent. The smell of algae was stronger now, almost overwhelming.

Annabeth didn't wait for him to introduce himself as she swung her sword at his chest, and Nico followed suit aiming for his head. The guy jumped back with a gurgling laugh, falling out of range of Annabeth's blade and dodging Nico's by a hair. Swinging smoothly into the dodge, Nico whirled around and lunged forward, only to slip with a startled yelp as the snow under his feet melted into a large, muddy puddle. His body hit the water, and just as quickly, it began to steam and boil. Scrambling out with a scream, Nico jumped out and collapsed into the cooler snow, cradling his hands and arms where the skin was already blistered and red. When his grimace met Annabeth's, she noticed red spots on his face and neck too.

She felt herself sink slighly and jumped aside just as the snow melted under her feet. Piper was back up, after having pushed the gangster-wannabes away, and was clutching her dagger with murderous intent. Her abandoned water bottle was spouting more steam now. All the water inside slivered out and crept across the ground, adding melting snow to its legion as it angled its direction for Piper.

"No, look out!" Annabeth grabbed Piper by her sleeve just as the daughter of Aphrodite ran past her, and flung them both out of the way as the water propelled past them in a deadly arc. The couple shrieked as stray droplets sizzled on their skin.

Annabeth felt the snow they were under already beginning to melt, and quickly pulled Piper up with her. The guy was walking forward, grinning wider than ever, and bubbling with an eager laugh. Annabeth looked around, but snow occupied most of the ground. They couldn't beat him out here in the open like this, not when he had so much ammunition at his disposal.

"Nico," she yelled, "can you get us out of here?"

He winced, still holding his burned arms, but nodded. He gestured to the shadow cast over the snow from the bus and made a hobbling run for it. He must've gotten his legs burned too, Annabeth realized with a wince.

"Piper, let's go," they took off in a run toward the bus. Around them, the snow hissed and melted, and Annabeth nearly slipped into bubbling puddles too many time to be comfortable with

"Grab onto me," Nico ordered, and they obliged, each grabbing a shoulder. The crump of feet on snow grew loud behind them, and Annabeth barely felt a finger brush her neck as they shot into the shadows and disappeared.

 **(Line)_(Breakage)**

They emerged from a wall and landed in a pile of trash bags harbored in an abandoned alleyway.

For several moments they lay among the garbage, taking the precious minutes to catch their breath and their wits. Then, with a heavy groan, Piper sat, spitting up a stray coffee filter that had fallen on her face with a gag. Nico groaned in response, only he rolled off the piles of bags and plopped on the ground, barely missing a murky pile of water infected with unknown juices leaking from an open garbage bag. Annabeth propped herself up on her elbows, took one glance around the alleyway, then got to her feet kicking away cold cans and frozen trash.

Her shoulder throbbed from where she had landed on it wrong, which was stained with a slimy piece of food that she didn't even _want_ to look at. "Roll call," she called, rolling her shoulder to adjust to the ache.

"There are only three of us," Nico pointed out unhappily, as he timidly picking himself up from the ground to study the burns on his skin. He winced, shifting the pants around his thigh uncomfortable where burns had, no doubt, set up home too. Annabeth hoped the burns didn't stray farther up. She didn't need to be a guy to know that'd be extremely painful. "That's hardly worth a roll call."

"Humor me," Annabeth said, brushing fruit peels off her own pants while reaching for her backpack, which she located half-under the over-flowing dumpster. "I wanna hear how alive you all feel."

"Nico," Nico grumbled, poking lightly at the skin on her wrist, "Is here. As for the alive bit, I'm still debating."

"Piper is here," Piper said, rubbing her ankle. "And alive, for the time being."

Annabeth nodded, rummaging through her backpack for her prize. "Good to know we're all faring," she said, bringing out the ziplock baggie of ambrosia, breaking off a square and handing each half to her comrades. Once their burns and aches started to disappear, she walked toward the mouth of the alleyway where cars drove sleepily on the road, and the thick crowds moved along like half frozen sludge over the sidewalk. No one had noticed the three achy and burned up teenagers who had emerged from the wall.

"Where are we, Nico?"

Nico got to his feet, movements much more fluid, and peered out past the alleyway too. "New York," he said, "Or we _should_ be. I was kind of rushed back there, but I'm pretty sure we're here."

"Let's hope you're right," Annabeth said, craning her neck out to look for street signs. "We just gotta figure out where we are, and get to the Empire State Building as quick as the Fates will allow."

Nico stared out by the road, and Annabeth figured he was looking for landmarks too, until he said, "So, any ideas who that guy was?"

Annabeth was trying hard not to think of that creepy smile, but now her thoughts were consumed by it. She looked back toward the mingling crowds, doing her best to push her unwarranted unease aside, and shrugged. "I want to say I've never seen him before, but there was something familiar about him,"

But when could that have happened? She already knew her mind was anything but helpful since arriving in New York, with whatever magic tampering that's been done to it, but she _knew_ that they'd met somewhere before. The way he grinned at her like they were sharing a secret. His laugh was an echo in her ear, mocking her as it waited for her to figure it out.

She glared at the people, wishing one would turn around and give her a straight answer, but none, it seemed, had gotten the memo. Piper was the one to snap her out of her hopeless wish by clapping a hand on her shoulder. Her burns were gone too.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," she said, which only made Annabeth feel worse for not knowing. "But I'd rather be anywhere but here if that guy shows up again. Where are we for real."

Nico craned his neck to look up at the building, nonchalantly brushing off a bit of black sludge from his jacket. His gaze dropped up and down, before it snapped. "Oh," his shoulders relaxed, "I know where we are. We're actually not that far from the Empire State Building. Just a couple blocks away, actually."

"Then let's get going," It was brushing past noon, and Annabeth didn't want to waste any more time dawdling. "Nico, think you can show us the way."

He shrugged, "Yeah, sure,"

They retrieved their bags from the alleyway, pausing only to flick off rotten sludge, and regrouped at the entrance of the alleyway like a wild, unhygienic pack of teenagers. Nico unfurled the blanket sprawled next to his bag, and strapped the sheath within to his lean waist, finishing it all off with his sword tucked securely inside. Annabeth followed his example, hoping that the Mist made their weapons look harmless, like a bookbag or a fanny-pack. She could stomach the stigma of humiliation against a fanny-pack if it didn't draw unwanted attention. They were barely an hour into their quest, and already everything was going to cahoots. She hated being caught to unprepared. It made stomach squirm and her gut twist, and the unease alone made her want to barf. What's the point of being the one with the plan, if she didn't even know what to expect next? She's been on countless quests, saved the world more than once, survived Tartarus for goodness sake. Why was the prospect of leading _this_ quest so intimidating?

But she also didn't have time to dwell on any of that. Philosophical ponderings aside, Annabeth swallowed her nerves down as she, Nico, and Piper filed out of the alleyway in a line, trying to look as innocent as possible. For having just fought a water-logged guy in a hood and fallen into heaps of garbage, she thought they did okay. Or, at least, the crowds didn't seem to care about them, or their newly acquired smell, which was another thing Annabeth could appreciate about New York. She could probably go prancing around in a bright orange onesie, and no one would bat an eye.

But Annabeth switched her thoughts from impersonating a street-cone, to wondering why _exactly_ Nico shadow traveled them here in the first place. There was nothing really special about this particular street. Dull grey buildings, wet jackets, reflective glass showing off the cloudy sky, and window stores putting their sumptuous products on display. Just another street in New York. She turned slightly to Nico, prompting to ask when a red and yellow flashing from the building caging their hideout alleyway caught her eye and it all made sense.

"So, that McDonald's wouldn't have anything to do with why we shadow-traveled here, would it?" Annabeth inquired, looking over her shoulder anyway to watch Nico's face go red.

"Well - well, that could've been - maybe it was just -" he coughed into his fist and quickened his stride, "Come on, we're wasting time."

"Alright," Annabeth said, deciding to drop it despite the tickling urge to tease. She's heard from Percy that Nico often sacrifices the Kids Meal to summon souls of the dead, but she also wondered how much of it _actually_ went to summoning souls. Not like she could really poke fun at him though. She, herself, was feeling the pit-falls of hunger, and fries seemed like absolute Elysium at this point.

But her musings for food were swatted away as soon as they rounded the corner, and the smell of algae hit her harder than the garbage back of rotten fruit.

"He's back," Annabeth announced, drawing her sword, only this time, the guy wasn't wasting time. He came barraging out of the alleyway, running at them full force, sending wet droplets flying behind him. Piper and Nico jumped apart before he could ram into them, bringing out their weapons with the smooth _shink_ of metal on leather.

The guy turned, smile as wide as ever. His feet squared, arms coming up to his sides like he was about to draw guns, but the only type of weapon he had was the water dripping from his sleeves. The mortals crowding the street had backed up, giving them a wide girth that trapped them in as much as it gave them a bit of fighting room. The guy rounded on them slowly, provoking the teens to mirror his actions so they circled each other.

"We don't have time for this," Annabeth stage-whispered to her comrades, and the guy cocked his head to the side. "We need to lose this guy,"

Nico's grip on his sword tightened, "I - I can try to shadow-travel again," he offered, but looked far from enthused. "But I'm still a little wiped out from the last one though, I'm not sure how far I can get us."

But that probably wasn't a good idea. Immense powers like Nico's usually came with a major exhaust-shortages. Years of being with Percy distilled that fact in Annabeth's brain. She should've ordered Nico something at the McDonalds when they had the chance to help him build his energy quicker. But, then again, this guy might've found them just as quickly anyway, and being trapped in a fast-food restaurant would've been far worse.

"We'll have to make a run for it," instructs Annabeth, "Don't shadow-travel unless it's a last resort," Nico was probably at, around, 75% strength right now, and it'd be a mistake to have him deplete his energy while they were being hounded. This guy found them as quick as it was, and if a member of the group was down, it'd be hard to fend him off _and_ protect Nico while he recuperating. They were going to have to chance it on the streets.

Nico, fortunately, didn't look the least bit upset with her decision. She caught they're eye and nodded, and without a seconds hesitation, they whirled around together and shoved their way out of the surprised crowd. Their pursuer was after them in an instant, pushing spectators away more roughly. Nico, despite his exhaustion, managed to keep up and directed them across the street. Thankfully, the crosswalk was open from the traffic, and they ran blindly, dodging as many people as possible and knocking those done who didn't move fast enough.

They whipped around the next corner, but something wet and gooshy slammed into Annabeth. Or she slammed into it. It was hard to tell when she went careening into the concrete. When she looked up, it was _the guy_ standing over her, chuckling hysterically as a white, slimy hand curled into her shirt and lifted her up. She didn't have time to wonder how the _Hades_ he got in front of her, or how he moved so fast, as she gave a furious yell and rammed the butt of her sword into the guys chin hard enough that it rattled his jaw. He dropped her.

Gripping her sword, she kicked his kneecap, revolted by the way they squished under her boot, then rolled to her feet and took off again. She glanced over her shoulder, just as another soaked-hoodie guy rounded the corner, grinning wide enough that it made her stomach curdle. Annabeth almost tripped over her feet. There were _two_ of them now. The one on the ground got to his feet roughly, staggering a little as he wiggled the dented cap of his knee until it popped, before joining his doppelganger in their combined pursuit.

" _Di immortals,"_ Annabeth whispered, looking back as she approached Nico and Piper who had slowed once they realized Annabeth was gone. "What are you guys _doing_? Don't stop! RUN!" They looked over her shoulder, noticed how their pursuers had multiplied and took off running again, eyes wide as saucers.

Their efforts to dodge civilians was lost somewhere around the corner as they shoved people out of their way with no regret. It was getting harder to ignore the pounding of feet behind them and the wet splat of water hitting the pavement. Somewhere in the distance, Annabeth saw the mighty spire of the Empire State Building rise above its inferior buildings. Just a few more blocks to go.

But just as hope was inflating Annabeth's chest, she felt a tight grip on her backpack. She was thrown back before she even knew what was going on, hitting the sidewalk, rolling a few feet, before coming to a violent stop against a building wall, startling the pedestrian just coming out of the store. Up ahead, Nico and Piper skittered to a stop, but Annabeth waved them on.

"Keep going, I'll catch up!"

They shared an uneasy look, but Annabeth forced them on with an even _harder_ look, and they kept running. One of the guys stopped by Annabeth, grabbing her by the loops of her backpack tightly, while the other continued after Piper and Nico.

He pulled her up, grin twisting into a sneer. The smell of algae was so overwhelming, Annabeth could almost taste it on her tongue. The smell heightened when the guy laughed, "So, this must be the girlfriend," His voice was gargled and watery, in a way that Annabeth could only imagine a drowned person would sound if they could still talk. His jaw, or his skin in general, was white, swollen, and glistening as if wet. Closer up, Annabeth noticed splotches of green crawling up his neck and jaw. Algae, she realized. Looks like that was the source of their stench.

Annabeth grabbed his wrists, an attempt at wrenching his fingers away, but her fingers slid along his skin like a watered down slip n' slide. His hands looked the same as the rest of him, swollen and completely soaked through. Slimy. The water of his hood soaked into the bare patches of her skin, and with a wince, she felt the water on her hands beginning to freeze. A biting cold feeling that should've come with only the winter winds as the perpetrators. It was the kind of cold that belonged in the Antartic waters, the kind that gave frost-bite so bad that amputation was the only solution.

"Oh look," Annabeth growled back at him, wiggling her leg free with a desperate vigor, "It's a pretentious asshole," she kicked up with her knee, right into the guys'' crotch, and if the anatomy was no different it was still a sucker-shot. The guy grunted, a far less painful sound than she was expecting, but his grip loosened. Grabbing the front of his hoodie, Annabeth swung him to the side and lept to her feet. She dashed across the road, ignoring the screeching protests of cars hitting their breaks and the foul-mouthed curses that followed her every step.

Her backpacked jumped on her shoulders, and if not for Poseidon's royal dagger inside, she would've thrown it to lose the extra baggage by now. Her lone pursuer was back on his feet and running at a more determined speed. He was _still_ grinning.

The Empire State was just ahead. Nico and Piper were already rooted by the revolving doors, urging her own with panicky hand gestures. The second guy was nowhere to be seen. No sooner had the thought crossed her, was Annabeth grabbed by the hair. _This is getting old,_ she cursed and whirled around, but her intended strike was anticipated and blocked with a tight grip to her wrist, bending the sword in her palm at an awkward angle.

"Heeheehee," he giggled in her face, tightening his grip on her ponytail, "We're not done yet."

Annabeth swung out with her other hand, but it was caught by the 2nd hooded guy coming at her other side. With strength that seemed impossible for such a soft, gushy hand, the guy twisted her arm and pinned her wrist to her back, a sliver away from snapping. The 1st guy forced her to drop her sword and held it to her throat.

"Child of Athena," one of them giggled close to her ear, "Now why, oh why, would he go for an offspring from _that_ hag?"

"Times are changing," the other answered for Annabeth, with a slip of hysteric delight, "We've been gone for _so long._ How will we ever keep up," the edge of the blade brushed against her throat, close enough to carve a thin line into her skin, just shy of producing blood.

"Get off me!" Annabeth growled, but her efforts of twisting free were foiled as the angle of her wrist heightened, and she winced.

"Now, now," one of them tsked, "We've been nice. All we want is that little trinket in you're backpack." It was harder to distinguish who was talking now. The likeness of their garbled voices was too similar, their tones almost the same.

Annabeth felt the zipper of her backpack slid open as a hand rummaged through its contents. She tried to move again, but the edge of her sword dug a fraction deeper into her neck. A satisfied hum came a moment later as the nacreous blade was pulled out, barely coming into view from the corner of her eye. A seizing of panic twisted her gut, and Annabeth tried to kick, but a water-soaked pant-leg crossed her leg, prohibiting that movement too. She was helpless. Motionless. Planless. They couldn't take that dagger. That was her key to getting information from Hestia. Annabeth _needed_ it.

They laughed, almost as if picking up on her thoughts. The edge of her sword dug farther into her skin, and a ribbon of blood rolled down her neck.

"Now, do we _really_ need her _?"_

"No," she could hear the delight in the other's voice, "we _don't."_

Before the blade had a chance to dig deeper, Piper's voice carried past the cars and crowds. "Let. Her. _GO!"_

Charmspeak fell over Annabeth, and for half a second, she wanted to let _someone_ go. In fact, she was disappointed when she couldn't. The guys holding her, on the other hand, weren't prone to the same disappointment. Their hands dropped away from Annabeth instantly.

Annabeth blinked, trying to understand why there was no one she was supposed to let go, before her mind pop back into focus. She twisted around, kicking one of the guys away while wrenching the dagger out of the other's grasp. Yanking her sword back too, she sprinted for the Empire State Building, sending every other thought to the wind. There was a curse from behind, a growl of annoyance, and the pounding of feet on the pavement. The water on Annabeth's skin stung as it burned, while in other places it was beginning to freeze, but she let it fuel her into going faster. She crossed the street's, barely avoiding head-on collisions from surprised cars, and finally reached the doors of the Empire State Building. She rammed into Piper and Nico, unable to quench her speed when it got to that point, but they stabilized each other enough to keep from falling.

Panting, Annabeth looked back across the street, where the guys had stopped, now standing on the curb, staring. They still smiled, but this time it was sharp, like the edge of a hunting blade. Instead of coming for round 4 though, they stuffed their hands into their hoodies pockets, turned, and walked down the street.

 **Authors Notes (please read):**

 **What da heck is up with those creeps? O.o How did they even get in here?**

 **You guys probably noticed how these chapters keep switching tenses. Is it past-tense? Present-tense? Is the author tense? T.T (just roll with it.)**

 **But hey, good news! I decided to start an updating schedule! YAY!**

 **Bad(ish) news: It's a joint updating schedule for this account and my other wattpad account!**

 **Explanation: I will update every week, (Sunday night at the earliest and Tuesday at the latest - generally posting on Monday altogether), but I will be switching the updates between my accounts. So, this week, I updated one of my PJO stories, next week I'll update a story from my other account, the week after I'll update another one of my PJO stories, and it will continue like that. I know that** _ **technically**_ **means I'll be updating once every two weeks for** _ **this**_ **account (vice versa for the other one), but I'm going to give you guys the name of my other account in case you want to follow that one and get the update-every-week schtick.**

 **Now, here's the thing. I LOVE the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon, and my other account is literally stories ONLY for USM. So, if you guys like Ultimate Spider-Man (it's okay if you don't), you can go check out that profile and get those weekly updates. If you don't, that's fine, you can stick to this account. No biggie. :D**

 **My other account is: OfficialUSMWriter (Real subtle, I know)**

 **Anywho, hoped you guys enjoyed** _ **this**_ **chapter, it's out a little earlier than I expected :P Tell me what you think in the comments, I love hearing your thoughts and theories!**

 **-BFA signing out! ;)**


	15. Chapter 14

{Percy POV}

 _"Be here when I get back, Seaweed Brain,"_

I couldn't stop thinking about that. Eight words that tumbled around in my head like falling rocks that rattled me down to the core. I didn't want to admit it. Didn't like to admit it. But it was getting painfully clear that I was dying.

After having survived two major wars and a handful of quests, death wasn't exactly a foreign term. There was death everywhere around demigods, we just took extreme measures to cope and avoid it. No one wanted to end up in the Fields of Asphodel, or even worse, the Fields of Punishment. That's why demigods were usually so prone to battle, despite the eager monsters just dying to pick us off. To win glory from the gods and gain a spot in Elysium.

But, the gods can go drown themselves in a mud pit.

Death. I'm not sure how to feel about it. I don't exactly want to die - there was too much to live for here in the mortal world. Annabeth, my mom, Paul, the camps.

But there was something bittersweet about death too. I've survived for so long. I've fought and fought to keep my life, yet the thought of finally leaving these fights, moving past the monsters and the gods and _finally_ getting a chance to settle down. To really settle down. It was nice to think about, I'll admit.

But not in this case.

 _"Be here when I get back, Seaweed Brain."_

Annabeth was here. My friends were here. I'm not ready to leave them yet. I have to be here when she gets back. I have to be here, I tell myself. I have to be here. I have -

I leaned over the bed and hurled into the trashcan. There was hardly anything worth vomiting - nothing but Ritz crackers and sips of juice - but my stomach didn't seem to think that mattered. But even once it was empty of all I've eaten, it didn't have the graciousness to stop.

Somewhere through it, I ended up on the floor.

I doubled over again, melding with the trashcan as my body switched to dry heaving. Tears prickled my eyes as my stomach waged war on the rest of my body, and in the moments that it wasn't trying to climb up my throat, it clamped tight over my lungs and left me gasping for air.

I wasn't sure how long it went on. Time seemed to pass in a blur at that point. But when it finally ceased and my stomach was content with its duty of throwing everything back out, I was finally able to breathe again. Sucking in deep pockets of air, I spit out the sour taste lingering on my tongue, and all but sagged over the trashcan. Hugging it close in case moving brought on another round. I wasn't sure if I could let go at all, actually. My hands were curled so tightly over its sides, the joints seemed screwed to the plastic.

Oh well. I'll become one with the trash.

Bile still sits in the back of my mouth and my throat feels washed down with lava. But once the agony of puking up my innards resides, every other affliction in my body is brought back into focus.

I groan into the trashcan, before weakly pulling away and clambering back onto the bed with shaken limbs. I don't even get all the way on the bed before I collapse, shivering into the sheets, trying to settle my stomach. Half my body curls into the still-warm blankets while the other dangles off the bed.

In a word: ow.

Everything hurts. I've been sick before, but this was so much worse. It was like the flu on steroids. Even after puking, my stomach twists, a pinching type of pain that sparks a surge of nausea and makes my skin flush. I bury my face into the sheets, trying to ignore the ache burrowing deep into my joints. It feels as though something is drilling through my flesh, clear down to the bone, that won't stop till it meets the other end.

Chills race up and down my body, followed by washes of hot and cold sensations that leave the rest of me in cahoots.

 _Everything hurts._

With shaky fingers, I pull myself up onto the bed completely and curl into a shivering hamster ball. My teeth clatter, cold goosebumps pepper my skin, but everything feels so excruciatingly hot.

I feel like a dehydrated fish.

Leo might say that I kind of am one.

Which, when I think about it, the comparison can't be that far off. In fact, it kind of makes me want to laugh. Then I'm reminded of the dryness in my throat and it doesn't seem so funny anymore. Against the blanket, my lips sting. Cracked and dry, no doubt. It feels like they should be bleeding, but there's nothing on the blanket so I guess not.

Just thinking about water sends a sharp pang of yearning in my chest, and my gut clenches as if calling out to it. What's the harm of a little sip? Just a little bit. It can't be all bad. Stay away from the water, what a big hoax, right.

Right!?

I groan again, sounding like a dying whale.

I'm not sure when Annabeth left for her quest, but I think it was sometime in the morning. Hours passed after that, Will had come in frequently enough to check on me and try any new sort of medic-technique that might help. Chiron too. But nothing seems to do the trick. I can appreciate the effort, you know. I'd just probably appreciate it a lot more if my skin didn't feel like it was being turned inside out and laid out on a bunch of hot coals.

The hours passed slowly, but the sun was setting now. Judging by the orange rays of light cast over the room, that is. Annabeth's been gone for so long. How long was this quest going to take again?

Despite my better judgment, I crawl toward the window by the bed and pull myself up. Leaning against the frame, I stare outside at the demigods finishing up last-minute activities before the Camp Fire began. The window is open, just a slit, and a beautiful breeze of cold winter air brushes over my arm. I shiver pleasantly and lean my head against the glass.

This is a bit better. Makes me feel less like a dying animal and more of a decomposing corpse. The hum of chatter outside is familiar and pleasant. A type of white noise that I can appreciate. Below, I can hear Mr. D and Chiron talking through their card game. Chiron discussing miscellaneous camp things and Mr. D grumbling about his bad cards.

For a minute it's easy to imagine that everything is fine and that it's just another day back at Camp. Then jabbing needles of pain prickle over my body and I'm dragged out of the illusion, screaming and with my feet kicking.

I want to scream for real, but that'd feel like absolute torture to my dry throat.

I close my eyes, trying to ride it out without wanting to huck something across the room or throw a tantrum. After a minute or so the pain ebbs, just slightly, and I open my eyes to glare at the setting sun. It begins touching below the tree's, baking the sky red. My eyes drop when it gets too uncomfortable to watch, and lingers around the forest bordering the camp instead. Tomorrow was Capture the Flag. Man, Annabeth had so excited to get back into it that she had devised a whole new plan on the plane.

 _So much for a summer vacation_ , I pout.

Another breeze wafts inside, only this time it's colder. My fingers shake as they clamp around the blanket at my feet, and with stiff arms, I curl it around my shoulders to keep out the chill. Even if it feels like sandpaper.

But when I look back out at the forest, my blood runs cold. Not just cold, but completely freezes over.

Someone is staring at me. A figure in black stands at the front line of tree's, cast in shadows, with their arms folded. I can't see their eyes but I know they're staring at me. I just know. The weight of their gaze paints a bright red dot on my face, and there's a pressure on my chest. Like someone is pushing the air from my lungs.

They gesture vaguely to their wrist, where a watch might reside.

 _Tick. Tock_.

Then they turn and slip back into the forest.

I'm struck motionless. I feel frozen over, lodged with ice, and unable to _feel_. My body whines through aches and pinches of pain, but I can't unlock the paralysis my limbs. None of the demigods outside seemed to notice. Chiron and Mr. D didn't sound as though they'd seen it either.

A sudden wash of vulnerability hits me and I scramble away from the window as if a bullet might fly from the bushes any second and lodge itself into my head. Nausea is back, full throttle and ready to blow. Suddenly, I wish Will was here. Or Chiron, or, heck, maybe even Mr. D. Anyone so that I wasn't by myself.

There's nowhere to go. I could try and make it out of the room, but my legs are shaking so hard I don't think I can make it even if I tried. Throwing something to get someones attention wouldn't work. I could barely crawl on to the bed, much less through the book Annabeth left on the nightstand. Yelling is out of the picture too.

Instead, I wrap myself in the blanket. Feeling like a toddler waiting for the boogeyman. A part of me feels ridiculous hiding in my covers, especially considering all the crazy stuff I've been through, but its easily over-shadowed by the ominous gesture the figure made. Years of living by my gut have never failed me, and my gut said that that figure was not good news.

Tick. Tock. I was on a time limit.

 _"Be here when I get back, Seaweed Brain,"_

Staring at the window, I had a feeling that might not be as easy as we thought.

* * *

 **Uh-oh. Our boy's in trouble. That's all I'm gonna say. :]**

 **So, in case you all don't know, I have posted an update book. It holds all my updates and the books I plan on updating next. Just a reminder I'm cross-updating with my other accounts, but if you want to find information on them, their all in that book too. I also have the covers, descriptions, and account name to all my books in there as well, so you can go there for those.**

 **Another reminder, I have another PJO fic called "The Percabeth Trials: The Hidden Hero." I am VERY excited about this one! It's an alternate ending to "The Blood of Olympus" that involves the return of the Arai. I really like how it's going, so if you like pain, feels, action, and a whole lot of angst, just head on over there.**

 **That's all. Thanks for reading!**

 **-BornFromAshes/AshesPheonixFeathers**


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